I beat the 6-month Global Entry wait time with 50 lines of Python ✈️

#python #automation #travel #api

Content:

Getting an interview for Global Entry (Trusted Traveler) is harder than getting Taylor Swift tickets. In some cities, the next available slot is 8 months away.

I wasn't going to wait that long.

The "Hidden" API

Most government sites are legacy nightmares. But surprisingly, the TTP (Trusted Traveler Programs) scheduler uses a public JSON endpoint to fetch available slots.

They don't document it, but it's there.

The Script

I wrote a simple Python watcher that:

Fetches the slot JSON for my desired location ID.
Compares the "available_slots" list against my target date range.
Sends me a push notification (via Pushover) when a slot opens up.

The code is surprisingly simple. No headless browser needed, just pure requests.

import requests
import time

def check_slots():
    url = "https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/schedulerapi/slots?orderBy=soonest&limit=1&locationId=XXXX"
    resp = requests.get(url)
    slots = resp.json()
    if slots:
        print(f"SLOT FOUND: {slots[0]['startTimestamp']}")
        # Send alert