Sep 12, 2023

Jesse Collier tried Clear after learning about the free trial at the airport. It allowed her to skip to the front of the TSA security line. However, she says Clear was not the best option for her and she prefers Global Entry. Have you ever made awkward eye contact with someone in a blue vest in front of the Clear line? Maybe you mistakenly entered the line and even signed up. That's what happened to me and my husband. When we found ourselves in the wrong line years ago, a Clear employee (or ambassador, as they're called) offered us the chance to sign up for a free trial of Clear Plus, and we decided it was worth a try. At that time, neither of us had ever heard about Clear or how it differed from TSA PreCheck . The ambassador was upbeat and friendly, walking us through the speedy process of signing up, scanning our irises, and collecting our fingerprints. I inquired about the airports that offer Clear services, and he rattled off what seemed like every major city in the United States. Clear Plus costs roughly $15 a month Clear Plus is an expedited security check available at 51 airports across the United States. Additionally, this service is at several stadiums in the US, allowing Clear members to bypass the identification lines and proceed straight to the front of the line. Members can also bring one adult guest through the stadium line or children under 18 years old for free. For $189 per year, roughly $15 per month, you can breeze through lines in just a few minutes. Clear Plus vs. TSA PreCheck While some think Clear is similar to TSA PreCheck, it's not exactly the same. TSA PreCheck operates as a security checkpoint that confirms your identity and conducts a background check beforehand. If you have TSA PreCheck, you will speed through security in a shortened line and don't need to take shoes off or take electronics out of your bag. But Clear functions as an identification service, and, unlike TSA PreCheck, there is no background check required for a Clear Plus membership. Rather than using physical identification like a passport or ID, Clear uses biometric data — your eyes or fingerprints — to confirm your identity. Travelers with Clear must still pass through the TSA security checkpoint. After arriving at an airport or stadium, you use the Clear kiosks to scan your boarding pass and eyes or fingerprints. An ambassador will then escort you to the front of the security line once the check finishes. If you have Clear but don't have TSA PreCheck, you'll only move to the front of the regular TSA line. This detail holds significance because, while many think PreCheck comes with Clear, if you don't have both, you'll find yourself taking off your shoes and pulling out your liquids before going through security. Still, many people find the privilege to jump to the front of the line to be valuable at busy times. How to sign up for Clear To apply for a Clear Plus membership, you can either sign up online or enroll at a kiosk. If you sign up online, you'll need to visit one of their kiosks anyway to complete the membership process. You must provide a valid driver's license or passport for identity verification. The kiosk then scans your eyes and fingerprints to capture biometric data. If you're looking to save a little money, Clear offers the option to include up to three family members or friends on your account for $70 per person. So, if you wanted to round up three people and bundle your memberships, you each would be paying a much lower price of $99.75 per person. How to find discounts for Clear Plus The good news for thrifty travelers is that certain credit cards provide discounts or even full comps of Clear memberships. For example, the American Express Green Card issues an annual credit of $189 to cover the cost of a Clear membership. And the American Express Platinum Card not only covers the membership but will also provide you a $100 credit for Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck. If you end up really hating Clear Plus, you have the option to terminate your membership as long as it's more than 30 days out from your term, and you will get a prorated refund of the time remaining. But Clear wasn't for me Once my trial of Clear Plus ended, I didn't find myself eager to sign up for an annual membership. While it cuts down waiting in long lines, it comes with a hefty cost. At that time, I wasn't traveling frequently enough to justify paying $189 per year when my travel nerves always had me sitting at my gate two hours before my flight. Some people may also feel apprehensive about providing their biometric information, especially their fingerprints, to a private company. According to Clear's Privacy Policy , they do not sell personal information and only will disclose a member's info if subpoenaed, requested by authorities, or to prevent physical harm or financial loss. Personally, this is not something I worried about. My TSA PreCheck and Global Entry applications required fingerprints, so the government already has my information stored. The main reason I didn't sign up for an annual membership was because my biggest gripe about airport security wasn't alleviated: taking off your shoes and pulling your belongings out of your bag. I don't like how these things slow down the process, and then I have to swiftly find a bench to put my shoes back on. Somehow, I always end up anxious and breaking a sweat. So if I can avoid that discomfort by paying $78 every five years for TSA PreCheck, I don't see the point in tacking on an additional $189 per year — having both memberships would come out to $1,023 for five years. Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck at only a fraction of the price of Clear, ended up the right choice for me. Jesse Collier is the creator of The Road Jess Traveled and helps people save, plan, and book their dream vacations. Read the original article on Insider