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The annual membership cost for CLEAR Plus will increase to $209 (it’s currently $199) on July 1st. This is the third time that the price has been raised in CLEAR’s 15 year history, but I have to wonder if even $10 more is worth it for the service that is gradually getting beaten out by the TSA’s touchless ID program and TSA PreCheck getting more efficient.
When CLEAR® Plus was introduced, I was excited. This provided a way to get through security even faster than TSA PreCheck®. Not having to take out an ID and just cruise through sounded great. I signed up as soon as it was offered and have had it ever since. But, I find myself using it less and less as time goes by. Many times I actively avoid the CLEAR® Plus lane as I know it’s going to be a pain. I can’t tell you the number of times I have stood there while employees chatted or the many occasions where I’m randomly selected for an ID screening and need to take out my driver’s license anyway. Last year I was calling the service useless.
I’ve softened my stance a bit. At times it shaves off minutes, but more often than not it’s quicker to get into the TSA PreCheck® lane. The TSA is moving passengers faster with new machines that take passengers’ pictures without the need to scan boarding passes. I’ve found this to be quick and convenient.
CLEAR got into hot water in July 2022 that called into question the security and procedure for using CLEAR® Plus at the airport. According to the Bloomberg article, CLEAR allowed a passenger to carry ammo and pass through security under a false name at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in July 2023. The ammunition was found when his bags were scanned at security. Police were called and they found that the man was using a false identity. CLEAR blamed the TSA and they blamed CLEAR.
United Airlines was offering Premier 1K® members free CLEAR Plus memberships. I have taken advantage of that for years as I do not think I would pay for the service. This perk was yanked as of May 1st and it now costs these members $129. Delta is still offering its Diamond Medallion members free CLEAR Plus, but I have to wonder for how long. I have several credit cards that offer credits to cover the cost and American Express recently announced that it will increase the amount it covers to the new $209 annual fee.
Anthony’s Take: CLEAR should figure out how to better train its employees before it tries to increase pricing. I’ve been largely disappointed when I have used CLEAR Plus and find myself sticking to the TSA PreCheck® lanes more and more.
(Image Credits: CLEAR and United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
