Pensacola Hosts Global Entry Enrollment Event at Pensacola International Airport

(PENSACOLA, FLORIDA) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection, partnering with Pensacola International Airport, announced the first-ever Global Entry Enrollment Event in Pensacola, scheduling in-person interviews for January 19 – 23, 2026.

Event purpose and scope

The five-day event will allow conditionally approved applicants to complete the mandatory interview locally at Pensacola International Airport, rather than traveling to a permanent enrollment center in another city.

This temporary, on-site enrollment opportunity is aimed at residents of Northwest Florida and the Gulf Coast region who need to finish the in-person portion of the Global Entry process. The announcement described the event as a chance for hundreds of local applicants to finalize their “conditionally approved” status in their home city, though it did not specify the exact number of interview slots.

Location and scheduling

Appointments will be held at:
– Pensacola International Airport (PNS)
– 2nd Floor Public Conference Room (Suite 224)
– 2430 Airport Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32504

Interview hours

Interview sessions will take place in a public conference room on the second floor, enabling CBP to host interviews without a permanent enrollment center space. The schedule reflects earlier hours at the start of the week and later hours on Thursday and Friday.

How Global Entry works (key facts)

• Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States.
• Membership automatically includes TSA PreCheck® benefits for domestic travel, at no additional cost.
• The application fee is $120 for a five-year membership. The announcement noted that many premium credit cards offer a statement credit to reimburse this fee.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, or citizens of certain other countries.
• No minimum number of international trips is required to apply.

“Offering Global Entry enrollment on-site is another way Pensacola International Airport is working to enhance the passenger experience and provide meaningful services to our community. We are excited to partner with CBP to make the interview process more accessible, especially for travelers who previously had to drive long distances to complete this final step,” said Matt Coughlin, Pensacola International Airport Director, in a statement released December 15, 2025.

“Global Entry offers pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited clearance when arriving in the United States and includes TSA PreCheck benefits at no additional cost. By bringing this enrollment opportunity to Pensacola, CBP and the airport are supporting efficient, secure travel while strengthening service options for Northwest Florida’s international travelers,” said William Brown, CBP Port Director, in a statement released December 15, 2025.

Who should attend

This event is intended for applicants who:
– Have already received Conditional Approval from CBP after completing the online background check.
– Live in Northwest Florida, the Florida Panhandle, South Alabama, or the Gulf Coast region, and would otherwise need to travel several hours to a permanent enrollment center (e.g., New Orleans, Mobile (limited), Orlando, Miami).

The airport and CBP framed the interviews as a way to remove the need for long trips to reach permanent enrollment centers, addressing the practical barrier faced by people who live far from major hubs.

How to participate — step-by-step

1. Create a Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account and submit a Global Entry application online through the DHS portal: https://ttp.dhs.gov.
2. Pay the $120 application fee and wait for Conditional Approval after the background check is complete.
3. Once conditionally approved, log back into your TTP account and select “Pensacola International Airport” under the list of Florida interview locations to book an appointment for the January 19–23, 2026 window.
4. Attend your in-person interview at PNS on the scheduled date and time.

Applicants attending the interview are instructed to bring:
– A valid passport,
– Another form of identification such as a driver’s license, and
– Proof of residence.

Program context and limitations

• The announcement did not describe any changes to Global Entry rules or benefits tied specifically to the Pensacola event, nor did it indicate special eligibility categories for Northwest Florida residents.
• Applicants still must follow the same federal process and meet all eligibility requirements; this event provides temporary local capacity for interviews, not changes to program policy.
• The event is presented as a logistical expansion to offer a short-term local alternative to permanent enrollment centers.

CBP framed the program as serving “pre-approved, low-risk travelers,” linking the expansion to the dual goals of security and efficiency. The airport tied the interviews to enhancing the passenger experience and expanding service options for the community.

Additional local information

The announcement directed residents seeking more local details to official outlets, including:
– City of Pensacola – Official News (Dec 15, 2025)
– Pensacola International Airport (FlyPensacola.com)

Key takeaway

With the event limited to January 19 – 23, 2026, applicants who want a Pensacola appointment must secure a time slot within that window by selecting Pensacola International Airport as the interview location in the Trusted Traveler Programs system. The on-site interviews are framed as the final step for conditionally approved travelers who prefer to complete the process locally rather than traveling to distant enrollment centers.

Coughlin emphasized that on-site enrollment is “another way” the airport is working to “enhance the passenger experience,” connecting the Global Entry Enrollment Event directly to services for the local community.