Clear is a paid membership that lets you skip the security line at airports

Clear is a subscription service that gives you a separate, faster security lane at U.S. airports. Instead of waiting in the main TSA line, you go to a Clear kiosk where an employee verifies your identity using biometric data — your fingerprints and iris scan — then sends you directly to a TSA agent. The whole process usually takes two to three minutes. You pay a monthly or annual fee, and the service works at over 50 U.S. airports.

Clear does not replace TSA screening. A TSA officer still checks your bag and boarding pass. What Clear removes is the wait to reach that officer — the part where you stand in line for 20 minutes or an hour depending on the time of day and how busy the airport is.

The service is run by a private company called CLEAR Security, which is separate from the TSA. TSA still runs the actual security checkpoint; Clear just manages the identity verification step that happens before it.

Key Takeaways

  • Clear costs between $15 and $20 per month, or around $180 per year, depending on whether you pay monthly or commit annually.
  • You must enroll in person at an airport kiosk or online, and you need a valid government ID and to provide fingerprints and an iris scan.
  • Clear works at major U.S. airports but not all of them; check the Clear website to see if your home airport is included.
  • Clear does not speed up TSA screening itself, only the wait to reach the TSA checkpoint, so busy times at security can still be slow.
  • Some credit cards and frequent flyer programs offer Clear membership as a benefit, which may save you the monthly cost.

How Clear enrollment works

You can start the process online or at an airport. If you enroll online, you create an account, provide your name and email, and pay the membership fee. Then you go to a Clear kiosk at any participating airport to complete the biometric enrollment — the fingerprint and iris scan. You need a valid government ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID) to finish enrollment in person.

If you enroll at the airport, you do the entire process at the kiosk: you pay, provide your ID, and complete the biometric scan all at once. The whole thing takes about five minutes. After that, your membership is active immediately, and you can use Clear at any airport where it operates.

You do not need to enroll at your home airport. You can enroll at any airport that has Clear, even if you are just passing through. Some people enroll during a layover or a trip and then use it for future travel.

Which airports have Clear and which do not

Clear operates at major U.S. airports in most large cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark), Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. (Reagan and Dulles). It also operates at some mid-size airports, but not all of them.

Smaller regional airports often do not have Clear. If you travel mostly from a small airport, Clear may not be worth the cost. Check the Clear website or app to see the full list of participating airports and whether your home airport is included.

Clear is expanding, so airports are added periodically. If your airport does not have Clear now, it may in the future, but there is no way to predict when.

What Clear costs and how to reduce the price

Clear membership costs between $15 and $20 per month if you pay monthly, or around $180 per year if you commit to annual billing. The exact price varies slightly by airport and changes over time. You can cancel anytime if you pay monthly, but annual plans usually do not offer refunds if you cancel early.

Several credit cards and frequent flyer programs include Clear membership as a benefit. American Express Platinum cardholders get Clear for free. United Airlines frequent flyer members at the Premier 1K level and above get free Clear. Some other premium travel cards offer it as well. If you already have one of these cards or status, you may not need to pay separately for Clear.

Clear also offers discounts for military members and veterans, usually around 50 percent off the monthly price. If you are military or a veteran, check the Clear website for the current discount code.

How Clear actually saves you time

Clear saves time only if the main TSA line is long. On a quiet Tuesday morning at a small airport, the TSA line might be five minutes anyway, so Clear does not help. On a Friday evening at a major airport, the line might be 45 minutes, and Clear gets you to the front in three minutes — a savings of 40 minutes.

The time you save depends entirely on how busy the airport is when you travel. If you travel during peak hours (early morning, evening, holidays, Sundays), you will see the biggest benefit. If you travel at off-peak times, the benefit is smaller or nonexistent.

Clear also does not speed up the TSA screening itself. Once you reach the TSA agent, you still go through the same process as everyone else: removing shoes, opening bags, going through the scanner. If the TSA checkpoint is moving slowly because of staffing or equipment issues, Clear does not fix that.

Privacy and biometric data with Clear

Clear collects your fingerprints and iris scan and stores them in a database. This data is encrypted and kept separate from your name and other personal information. Clear says it does not sell your biometric data to third parties, and the company is subject to TSA oversight because it operates at federal checkpoints.

Your biometric data is used only to verify your identity at Clear kiosks. If you cancel your membership, you can request that Clear delete your biometric data, though the process and timeline vary. Check Clear's privacy policy for the current deletion process.

Some people are uncomfortable providing biometric data to a private company, even with encryption. If that concerns you, Clear is not for you. There is no way to use Clear without providing fingerprints and an iris scan.

Clear versus TSA PreCheck and other TSA programs

Clear and TSA PreCheck are different services that do different things. TSA PreCheck costs $78 to $85 for five years and lets you go through a shorter security line where you can keep shoes, belts, and light jackets on, and leave laptops and liquids in your bag. You still wait in line, but the line moves faster because screening is less thorough.

Clear skips the line entirely but does not change what TSA checks. You can use Clear and TSA PreCheck together — Clear gets you to the front, then you go through the faster TSA PreCheck screening. Many frequent travelers use both.

TSA PreCheck is also available through some credit cards and frequent flyer programs, just like Clear. If you have a premium travel card, you may get both benefits included.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Clear work at international airports?

Clear works only for domestic U.S. flights at U.S. airports. If you are flying internationally, Clear gets you through the domestic security checkpoint faster, but it does not help with international departures or customs screening when you return.

Can I use someone else's Clear membership?

No. Clear is tied to your biometric data and your identity. Only you can use your membership. If you want to give a family member access, they need their own membership.

What happens if I forget to bring my ID to the airport?

You still need a valid government ID to use Clear. If you forget it, you cannot use Clear that day and will have to go through the regular TSA line. Bring your ID every time you travel.

Can I pause my Clear membership instead of canceling?

Clear does not offer a pause option. If you cancel, you stop paying immediately. If you want to use Clear again later, you can re-enroll, but you will have to pay the membership fee again.

Does Clear work for connecting flights?

Yes. If you have a connecting flight, you can use Clear at the security checkpoint in your connecting airport, just like at your home airport. You go through Clear, then TSA screening, then to your next flight.