CLEAR: How It Works, Cost & Comparison to PreCheck
What is CLEAR and is it worth it? How CLEAR works at airports, pricing, and how it compares to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.
How CLEAR Works
Uses biometric identity verification (fingerprints and iris scan)
Skips the ID check line — goes directly to physical screening
Does NOT replace TSA screening — you still go through the checkpoint
Works best when paired with TSA PreCheck
Pricing
$219/year for a CLEAR+ membership
Free for select airline and credit card partners
Family members can be added at a discount
CLEAR+ is a private subscription that costs $219 a year and only shortens the identity-verification line. It is not a government program, it does not replace TSA screening, and on its own it does not let you keep shoes on or leave a laptop in the bag — those benefits come from TSA PreCheck.
How CLEAR+ enrollment works
Check that your airports have CLEAR lanes — CLEAR+ operates at roughly 55 U.S. airports. If your home airport does not have a lane, the subscription does nothing for your flying, which makes airport coverage the first thing to verify.
Look for free or discounted access — Several airline loyalty programs and credit cards cover CLEAR+ fully or partially. Check those before paying the $219 list price, and check whether family pricing applies.
Enroll in person, usually at the airport — Sign-up is completed at a CLEAR pod with biometric capture of fingerprints and eyes plus a government-issued ID. It takes a few minutes and there is no background investigation comparable to a federal trusted traveler program.
Use the pod, then the screening lane — A CLEAR ambassador verifies your identity at the pod and escorts you to the front of the physical screening line. Which line that is depends on whether you also hold PreCheck.
Billing, renewal, and cancellation
CLEAR+ is an annual subscription that renews automatically rather than a five-year membership.
Cancellation is handled through your CLEAR account; the subscription continues until the end of the paid term.
Airline and credit-card benefits usually apply as a statement credit or discounted rate and must be linked to the account to take effect.
Because it is a private service, pricing and airport coverage can change during your term.
Membership does not produce a Known Traveler Number, so it never appears on your boarding pass the way PreCheck does.
Who CLEAR+ fits, and who should skip it
Good fit: frequent flyer at a CLEAR airport who already has PreCheck
Paired with PreCheck, CLEAR moves you to the front of the PreCheck line, which helps most at large hubs where even the PreCheck queue is long.
Skip it: you fly a few times a year
At $219 annually it costs more every year than PreCheck costs for five, and it only addresses the ID check.
Skip it: your airports have no CLEAR lanes
Coverage is the deciding factor. Outside the roughly 55 participating airports there is nothing to use.
Buy PreCheck first
If you have to choose one, the federal program is the better value: it changes how you are screened, not just how quickly your ID is checked.
Common misunderstandings about CLEAR
Believing CLEAR replaces TSA screening. Every CLEAR member still goes through the checkpoint.
Expecting to keep shoes on or leave a laptop packed without PreCheck — those are PreCheck benefits.
Assuming CLEAR is a government program; it is a private company that verifies identity on TSA’s behalf.
Paying full price without checking airline and credit-card benefits that cover the fee.
U.S.–Canada border crossings by land, air, and sea
The ID and boarding-pass check only
Cost
$76.75–$85 / 5 years
$120 / 5 years
$50 / 5 years
$219 / year
Includes TSA PreCheck
Yes (it is PreCheck)
Yes
Yes
No — sold separately or bundled
Shoes, belt, light jacket stay on
Yes
Yes, via PreCheck
Yes, via PreCheck
Only if you also have PreCheck
Laptops and 3-1-1 liquids stay in the bag
Yes
Yes, via PreCheck
Yes, via PreCheck
Only if you also have PreCheck
In-person appointment required
Yes — enrollment center visit
Yes — interview, or Enrollment on Arrival
Yes — interview with U.S. and Canadian officers
Yes — biometric enrollment, often at the airport
Availability
200+ U.S. airports, 90+ airlines
Major U.S. international arrival airports
U.S.–Canada land, marine, and air ports of entry
Roughly 55 U.S. airports plus stadiums
Changes what you can pack
No
No
No
No
Which program fits your travel
You only fly domestically — TSA PreCheck alone covers it. It is the cheapest program that changes the checkpoint itself, and it is the benefit most credit cards reimburse.
You leave the country even once every few years — Global Entry is the better buy at $120. It includes full TSA PreCheck benefits, so you are paying about $9 a year more for expedited customs on the way home.
You cross into Canada regularly — NEXUS is $50 for five years and carries both Global Entry and TSA PreCheck benefits — the lowest-cost path to PreCheck if you qualify and can reach an enrollment center.
Your home airport has long ID-check lines — CLEAR+ shortens the document-check wait but does not replace screening. It pays off mainly when paired with PreCheck at a busy airport, or when a card or airline status covers the fee.
You mostly want to bring more through security — No program changes the prohibited items list or the 3-1-1 liquids limit. Those rules apply identically in every lane.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does CLEAR+ cost?
CLEAR+ lists at $219 per year. Discounted or complimentary memberships are available through some airline loyalty programs and credit cards, and family members can be added at a reduced rate.
Is CLEAR worth it without TSA PreCheck?
Generally no. Without PreCheck, CLEAR moves you to the front of the standard screening lane, where you still remove shoes, belts, laptops, and liquids. Most travelers get more value from PreCheck first.
Does CLEAR let me skip security?
No. CLEAR only replaces the document-check step. All travelers, including CLEAR members, go through physical security screening and the same prohibited-item rules apply.
Is CLEAR run by the TSA?
No. CLEAR is a private company operating under TSA approval as a registered traveler program. TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and NEXUS are government programs.
Is TSA PreCheck or Global Entry better?
Global Entry costs $120 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck benefits, while PreCheck alone runs $76.75–$85 for five years. If you take even one international trip in that window, Global Entry is the better value. If you never fly internationally, PreCheck is enough.
Does CLEAR replace TSA PreCheck?
No. CLEAR verifies your identity so you can skip the document-check line, but you still go through the same physical screening. Without PreCheck you will remove shoes, belts, laptops, and liquids as usual.
Do any of these programs change what you can bring on a plane?
No. Prohibited items stay prohibited and the 3-1-1 liquids rule still applies in every lane. The programs change how you are screened, not what may pass through the checkpoint.
What is the cheapest way to get TSA PreCheck benefits?
NEXUS at $50 for five years is the least expensive program that carries PreCheck benefits, though it requires eligibility for U.S.–Canada travel and an interview with officers from both countries. Many travel credit cards also reimburse a PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
Can you be pulled aside for extra screening with PreCheck?
Yes. TSA officers may run additional screening at any time, and PreCheck eligibility is confirmed per flight rather than guaranteed. Random and unpredictable measures are part of the layered security approach.