Kingsport Spirit

My wife and I recently decided to apply for “Trusted Traveler” status through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program. It’s a great option, offering expedited customs processing and including TSA PreCheck for faster airport security.

The application process is pretty straightforward: you fill out an online form, then complete an in-person interview that includes identity verification, fingerprinting, and a background check.

When it was time to choose a location for the interview, I was surprised by the nearest options: Tri-Cities, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Cincinnati (technically in Northern Kentucky). Not a single location in South Carolina or West Virginia. And the biggest surprise? Tri-Cities made the list, but not Knoxville, Chattanooga, Asheville, Roanoke, or Greenville-Spartanburg. Tri-Cities! What a convenient perk.

Appointments are required—no walk-ins allowed. Luckily, the Tri-Cities Airport location is just a 15-minute drive from our home. Our appointments were at 11:20, they actually got us in a little early and by 11:30, we were done. We were back home by noon. The whole process was surprisingly quick and straightforward, especially since neither of us has a criminal record (our parents would be proud!). I can only imagine how much longer it might have taken if we’d gone to Atlanta-Hartsfield, Charlotte-Douglas, or BNA.

Just for fun, I checked flights from Tri-Cities to Rome—yes, Italy—in November 2025. At $612 per person, it wasn’t as expensive as I expected, especially compared to a domestic flight to Denver at $309.

If you live in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina, Southeast Kentucky, or Southern West Virginia, keep in mind that Tri-Cities Airport truly connects you to the world. We often think of it as a small, regional airport, but with a connection in Charlotte, Atlanta, or Dallas, you can be almost anywhere American, Delta, or their partners fly. And the more we use it, the more options we’ll have to choose from.

One of the many reasons I love living here.