Everything You Need to Know About Booking Multiple Global Entry Appointments
When securing a Global Entry interview, many travelers need multiple appointments for their family members, partners, or travel companions. While our service can track and alert you to these opportunities, it’s important to understand how the process works and the trade-offs involved. Selecting multiple appointments reduces the number of alerts you will receive, as appointment availability is far more limited. However, you should receive at least a few alerts a month when batch appointments are released.
Here’s what you need to know before selecting this option.
How Global Entry Appointments Become Available
Global Entry interview slots open up in two ways:
Batch Releases
Enrollment centers periodically (at least once a month) release large batches of appointments, usually for dates one or more months in the future. These are the best opportunities for booking multiple slots at the same time.
One-Off Cancellations
These are last-minute openings that occur when other applicants cancel or reschedule. They tend to be for dates within the next 1-2 weeks and disappear within minutes due to high demand.
When booking a single appointment, you have access to both types of availability, significantly increasing the number of alerts you receive. When booking multiple appointments together, however, you are mostly limited to batch releases, which can be as infrequent as once per month at some locations.
How to Select Multiple Appointments
Global Entry Spotter allows you to specify the amount of back-to-back appointments you need on our Sign Up page. This feature is found in our advanced settings at the bottom of the form.
At the bottom of our advanced settings, you will see an option that says:
If you need to book multiple appointments together, select the number of appointments needed:
This is where you will input the number of appointments in a row you need. The default amount is 1. If you increase that number to 2+, you will only receive alerts when the required number of appointments are available within one hour of each other at the same location.
Example: If you select "2," you will only be notified when at least two appointments open up within the same hour at a given center. This ensures that you and your travel companion can book together, but it also means you will miss out on single-slot cancellations, which are far more frequent.
The Reality of Booking Multiple Appointments
After extensively testing this feature, we have found that alerts for multiple appointments are rare – Customers selecting "2+" appointments receive significantly fewer alerts than those selecting "1." Many locations only release large batches once a month or less.
Securing back-to-back appointments is difficult – Due to the speed at which appointments are claimed, even if multiple slots open simultaneously, they may be booked by others before you can complete both reservations.
However, bringing a family member without an appointment may work – Some customers have reported success bringing an extra person to an interview, but this is at the discretion of the enrollment officer. If you live close to an enrollment center, it may be worth trying, but we don’t recommend it if you have to travel far.
Should You Opt-in to Multiple Appointment Alerts?
Here’s how to decide:
If you must attend the interview together, select the required number of appointments, but be prepared for a longer wait time.
If you are open to separate appointments, leave the selection at "1" to maximize your chances of getting an alert sooner.
If you live near an enrollment center, consider booking one slot and calling ahead to ask whether they might accommodate additional applicants.
Booking separate appointments first and rescheduling if appointments together appear is also a good strategy.
How to Improve Your Chances of Booking Multiple Appointments
Stay Logged In
Keep your Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) account open so you can act immediately when an alert arrives.
Use a Computer
The scheduling process is faster on a desktop or laptop compared to a mobile device.
Be Ready to Book Fast – New slots disappear within minutes. Click the location as soon as you get an alert.
Monitor Appointment Availability
Our alerts indicate the number of appointments available on a given day (e.g., "3 appointments available"). If you’re looking for multiple, this information can help you prioritize alerts.
Final Thoughts
Booking multiple Global Entry appointments is challenging due to limited availability. If you need multiple appointments together, expect a longer wait time and fewer alerts. However, if you can book separate appointments, you’ll have a much higher chance of securing an interview sooner.
For the best results, be flexible and act quickly when an alert arrives. Our service gives you an edge in this competitive process, helping you stay ahead of the rush and increasing your chances of securing an appointment. Good luck!