Should I Apply for Global Entry Before or After the Holidays?

Short answer: You can apply anytime—there’s no “wrong” season. But appointment availability does shift around holidays: demand often spikes before Thanksgiving, winter break, and spring break, so the scheduler can look emptier then. Right after a holiday, more people cancel or change plans, so post-holiday (e.g., early January, after spring break) often sees a burst of new openings. If you want to maximize your chance of getting a slot soon, apply when you’re ready, get conditional approval, then use appointment alerts so you’re notified whenever something opens—including during holiday churn.

How Holidays Affect the Scheduler

Global Entry interview slots don’t get “released” in batches—they appear when someone cancels. So “holiday” effects are really about when people cancel and when more people are looking.

• Before major holidays: More people are trying to get an interview before a trip, so competition for visible slots is higher. The scheduler can look fully booked for months.
• Right after holidays: Travel plans change; people cancel or no-show. Those slots go back into the pool. So early January, post–spring break, and similar windows often have a short spike in openings.

That doesn’t mean you should wait to apply. Apply when it fits your timeline; conditional approval can take weeks. Then hunt for a slot (or use alerts) and take advantage of post-holiday cancellations when they happen. See When Is the Best Time of Day to Check for Global Entry Cancellations? and our holiday travel guide on the blog.

When to Apply (Application vs. Interview)

Applying = submitting your application and paying the fee. You can do that any time. Getting an interview = booking a slot after conditional approval. So:

• If you want to be “in the system” before a busy period, apply early—e.g., fall if you want conditional approval before winter holidays.
• Once you’re conditionally approved, use the scheduler and/or an alert service (e.g., GE Finder) to grab the first opening that works, including slots that appear after holidays.

What to Do If You’re Conditionally Approved During the Holidays

Keep monitoring. Slots can open any day—including Christmas week or New Year’s—when someone cancels. An appointment alert that watches the scheduler 24/7 will notify you whenever something opens at your chosen centers, so you don’t have to guess the “best” day to check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I apply for Global Entry before or after the holidays?

You can apply anytime. Appointment availability often improves briefly after holidays (early January, post–spring break) when more people cancel. Apply when you’re ready, then use alerts to catch openings whenever they appear.

Is it harder to get a Global Entry appointment during the holidays?

It can feel harder because more people are looking before trips. But cancellations still happen—including right after holidays. Using appointment alerts gives you a chance to grab those slots as soon as they appear.

When is the best time to look for Global Entry appointments?

There’s no single “best” day. Slots appear when people cancel. Checking frequently or using an alert service that monitors 24/7 is more effective than waiting for a specific holiday window.