Global Entry traveler program raises fees to $120, but kids are now free

Application fees for Global Entry, the expedited border-crossing program, rose from $100 to $120 as of Oct. 1. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that the change will enable the agency to “improve customer service through technology improvements, optimized processes, and expansion to additional ports across the northern border.” The NEXUS program at the U.S.-Canada border also rose from $50 to $120. In another change, Global Entry applicants under the age of 18 will be free of charge if a parent or legal guardian is already a member, or concurrently applying.

Tribune News Service

Renewing a passport will no longer require you to mail in an old passport and send a check, or schedule a visit to a passport agency. Now, many U.S. passport holders can renew online and pay by credit or debit card. Eligible applicants must be 25 or older, be renewing a passport issued between 2009 and 2015, and live in a U.S. state or territory. Applicants will have to upload a digital passport photo. You must have your old passport in your possession. It’s unclear if the online option will speed up passport processing, which the State Department advertises as generally taking six to eight weeks.

New York Times

Southwest Airlines unveiled the first details of its plans to assign seats, update its boarding process and add “premium” extra-legroom seats. Southwest assured customers it will continue following its longtime slogan of “bags fly free” even while undertaking the biggest changes to its business in the airline’s 50-plus-year history. Southwest plans to begin assigned seating in the “second half” of next year, the airline said. The shift does away with its trademark open seating, where travelers can pick any seat they want after boarding a flight.

Washington Post

Colorado’s Stanley Hotel will host a horror-themed weekend that includes interactive events and screenings of a new thriller series. Blumhouse Productions (“Get Out,” “Sinister,” “M3GAN”) is turning the historic hotel into an immersive experience. The “Overnightmare” runs Oct. 18-20. Tickets are $1,031 at stanleylive.com and include a two-night stay, themed experience and “interactive moments and photo ops.” The screenings promote Peacock’s upcoming series “Teacup,” from James Wan’s Atomic Monster. The Stanley has long been popular among horror aficionados, given its role as the inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining.”

The new roller coaster at Cedar Point in Ohio looks like a wild ride. Siren’s Curse is being touted as the tallest, longest and fastest “tilt coaster” in North America. The two-minute ride reaches speeds of nearly 60 mph and stretches 160 feet into the air. What makes this thrill ride look the most terrifying is the section of the track at the highest point that seems to break off and tilt into a 90-degree vertical position before plunging riders straight downward. Siren’s Curse will open in 2025.

Detroit News