How to Get a Free or Discounted Clear Airport Security Membership

Even if you have TSA PreCheck, now might be the time to add Clear to your list of ways to get through airport security faster. Clear works like this: After signing up online and completing a short in-person biometric scan to verify your identity, you'll be able to walk up to a Clear kiosk at any airport where there is one and scan your fingerprints or eyes. Then a Clear representative will escort you straight to the security checkpoint, bypassing the regular line where the TSA agents check your ID.

How much does Clear cost?

Typically, it costs $179 for an annual Clear membership, compared to $85 for a five-year TSA PreCheck membership. But if you’re a new member and sign up now, you can get a Clear membership for just $149 or test it out for two months for free.

How to get a discounted Clear membership or free trial

Right now, AFAR readers new to Clear can get a discounted 12-month membership for just $149 with the promo code “AFF149”. If you’re not ready to commit to a full year, you can also sign up for a 2-month free trail with the promo code “2FREE”.

Buy Now: $149 for 12 months with promo code “AFF149” (Was $179), clearme.com

Clear discounts for Delta SkyMiles members

Anyone with a SkyMiles account (which is free to sign up for) can pay $119 for an annual Clear membership—a savings of $60 off the full price. If you’re a Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion member on Delta, or have a Delta SkyMiles credit card, you’ll only pay $109. And if you hold Delta’s coveted Diamond Medallion status, you can get a Clear membership for free. To enroll, simply sign up at clearme.com/partner/delta using your SkyMiles account number.

Clear discounts for United MileagePlus members

On July 29, 2019, United Airlines announced that it will also partner with Clear to offer similar discounts for its U.S.-based MileagePlus members. Effective immediately, United’s Global Services and Premier 1K members are eligible for a free Clear membership. Premier Platinum, Gold, Silver, and United U.S. credit card members can sign up for a $109 annual Clear membership. Even if you only have a basic free MileagePlus account, you still qualify for a discounted $119 annual Clear membership. To link your frequent flyer account with a membership, add your MileagePlus number when signing up at clearme.com/partner/united.

The new partnership also means that Clear opened lanes at United hubs, including Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare, and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport in 2019.

Related

TSA PreCheck Versus Global Entry: Which Is Best for You?

Is Clear worth it?

Overall, a Clear membership is only worth it if you regularly fly through one of the 35 U.S. airports it currently serves, including JFK, LAX, and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. But if you’re a sports fan, your Clear membership also allows you to skip the line at many major sports stadiums throughout the country, including Oracle Park in San Francisco and Denver’s Coors Field. 

Which airports have Clear?

• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland
• Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Alabama
• Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Kentucky
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Ohio
• Dallas Love Field Airport, Texas
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas
• Denver International Airport, Colorado
• Detroit Metro Airport, Michigan
• Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia
• JFK International Airport, New York
• LaGuardia Airport, New York
• Los Angeles International Airport, California
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisiana
• McCarren International Airport, Las Vegas
• Miami International Airport, Florida
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota
• Nashville International Airport, Tennessee
• Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey
• Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, California
• O’Hare International Airport, Chicago
• Orlando International Airport, Florida
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah
• San Antonio International Airport, Texas
• San Francisco International Airport, California
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington
• St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Missouri
• Westchester County Airport, New York
• William P. Hobby Airport, Houston

Is Clear better than TSA PreCheck?

While TSA PreCheck is in more than 200 airports compared to the few dozen Clear serves, several people on Twitter pointed out why having both memberships is actually worth the money if you fly often.

Keep in mind that if you just have a Clear membership without a TSA PreCheck membership, you'll still get to go to the front of the regular airport security line but will need to take off your shoes and remove your electronics from your bag while going through checkpoint.

This article originally appeared online on July 31, 2018; it was updated on September 21, 2020, to include current information. Products we write about are independently vetted and recommended by our editors. AFAR may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which helps support our independent publication.

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