have an in

have an in (third-person singular simple present has an in, present participle having an in, simple past and past participle had an in)

1. To have connections or influence.
   • 2000, Stephen F. Davis, An Oral History of Psi Chi, page 45:

     I had an "in" with the Navy .

   • 2012, Bryan Gillis, Pam B. Cole, Chris Crutcher: A Stotan for Young Adults, page 19:

     He should wait a year and then submit detailed plans for a sneak to the school board (where he had an in).

   • 2016, Nick Hasted, Jack White: How He Built an Empire From the Blues:

     Stevie Chick, John Mulvey and the live editor Andy Capper were already big supporters at NME, and Andy had an in at The Guardian.

   • 2018, Lynne Gross, Branching Out and Taking Risks in the 1980s, page 44:

     One of the students had an “in” with the P.E. department so we interviewed most of the CSUF team coaches.

• have a foot in the door
• have someone's ear

• “have an in with someone” (US) / “have an in with someone” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.