TSA PreCheck vs. CLEAR: Do You Need Both?

Getting through security at an airport is rarely an enjoyable experience — especially when you are in the general line. But with expedited security programs such as TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, you could move through the long lines at security faster and get on your way to your flight.

But how do these programs work, and what do they cost? Below, we dissect each of these programs to ensure you can make the best decision for your travel needs.

TSA PreCheck vs. CLEAR Plus

It’s worth noting that TSA PreCheck and CLEAR aren’t competitors — they often work best in tandem with one another. They both offer options to shorten wait times, but in their own ways; CLEAR simplifies the documentation check, while TSA PreCheck cuts down the physical security screening.

But whether you should use one, the other, or both together depends on your typical travel habits.

	TSA PreCheck	CLEAR Plus
Cost	$78 for five years	$189 a year
Membership term	Five-year membership	One-year membership
Application process	Apply online, and then complete a ~10 minute in-person appointment	Apply online, and then finish registering at any CLEAR location in a few minutes
Benefits	Expedited airport security screening; no need to remove shoes or certain items from bags	Expedited document checks at select airports, stadiums, and other venues; all identification is completed through biometrics using eyes and fingerprints
Locations	200+ domestic airports	50+ domestic airports, stadiums, and other venues
Kids allowed?	Children ages 12 and under can use the PreCheck lane with their enrolled parents; children between ages 13 and 17 traveling with enrolled parents can use the PreCheck lane if they have the PreCheck indicator on their boarding pass; children between ages 13 and 17 traveling alone must have their own membership	Children under 18 can use the CLEAR lane with their parents; other family members can be added for $70/year
Discounts available?	Yes, many of the best travel credit cards offer TSA PreCheck credits.	Yes, a few programs offer CLEAR discounts, such as: American Express® Green Card The Platinum Card® from American Express  Delta SkyMiles United MileagePlus

What is TSA PreCheck?

TSA PreCheck is a Trusted Traveler Program that is run and administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In essence, they want to get you through security faster and easier — and TSA PreCheck is proven to be very effective. In October 2021, 95% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes to complete their security screening.

If you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident, you are likely eligible to apply. And once you are approved for the TSA PreCheck program, it will make going through airport security lines a breeze.

First, you will enter the TSA PreCheck line at airport security. This is separate from the general screening line, and is typically much shorter. In addition to the shorter line, you won’t be required to take off your shoes, belt, or light jacket, or remove your laptop or compliant liquids from your bags. If you go through general security screening, you will need to remove these items.

You can get started today by applying on the TSA website, which only takes about five minutes to complete. Then, you will need to visit an enrollment center in person to complete a full background check and fingerprinting. Once you complete these steps, you will receive your application decision in the mail and via email. If you are approved, you will have TSA PreCheck for five years.

In summary, this program can save you a substantial amount of time and hassle when you’re traveling. The cost is $78 for five years, which is a great deal. However, there are many travel credit cards with TSA PreCheck fee waivers, so consider applying for one of these credit cards to cover the cost of your stress-free security screening. 

What is CLEAR?

CLEAR is a privately owned company that is on a mission to eliminate the need for a physical ID. Their technology focuses on using your biometrics, such as your eyes and fingerprints, to identify who you are. Any U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident who is 18 or older and has a valid government-issued photo ID can join CLEAR.

When you arrive at your airport security checkpoint, head to a CLEAR kiosk. The machine will check your biometrics to confirm your identity, then you will move through airport security as normal. If you have TSA PreCheck, you can head to that line. If you don’t, you’ll need to move through the standard security line.

The unique part of CLEAR is the variety of places you can use the program. It is available at more than 50 locations nationally, including select airports and venues for sporting events and concerts. So if you travel domestically on a regular basis or attend events at major venues with CLEAR, this program could be of value to you.

You can start your application on the CLEAR website (try a 2-month free trial), which takes roughly five minutes to complete. Then, you can finish enrolling in person at any CLEAR location, where you’ll answer a few questions and an employee will record your biometrics. Once you complete these two steps, you will be able to use CLEAR at any of their locations.

CLEAR Plus costs $189 per year, which breaks down to $15.75 per month. However, there are several ways to lower the cost of CLEAR Plus through their various programs. At the time of publishing, CLEAR is working with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to offer their loyal customers discounted rates.

If you are loyal to Delta, the pricing for CLEAR Plus is:

• General members of Delta SkyMiles program: $179/year
• Delta SkyMiles credit cardholders: $149/year
• Delta Silver/Gold/Platinum Medallion members: $149/year
• Delta Diamond Medallion member: Free

If United Airlines is your preferred airline, the cost of CLEAR Plus is:

• General members of United MileagePlus program: $179/year
• United MileagePlus credit cardholders: $149/year
• United Premier Silver/Gold/Platinum members: $149/year
• United Premier 1K members: Free

In addition, eligible college students, military members, and government officials can earn a discounted rate on a CLEAR Plus membership.

While all of these discounts are helpful to reduce the cost of CLEAR, there are credit cards that can reduce the price even further. For example:

• The newly refreshed American Express Green Card comes with up to $189 annual statement credit for CLEAR Plus membership. By using the American Express Green Card in combination with a Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus membership, you could reduce your cost to $0 per year. 
• The American Express Platinum Card also offers a full up to $189 per year discount, which effectively lowers your CLEAR Plus membership cost to $0.

Both the Amex Green Card and Amex Platinum Card have annual fees, but depending on how much advantage you can take of all the perks they offer, what you get might balance out the fee over time.

Reserve powered by CLEAR

Reserve by CLEAR is a free service available at select airports that requires you to make a booking ahead of time. Reserve has its own lanes separate from CLEAR lanes used by CLEAR Plus members. The point of Reserve is to provide a free way to, hopefully, avoid long general security lines at TSA checkpoints. 

Note that you still have to show your ID to a TSA officer if you use a Reserve lane. It's not recommended to use Reserve powered by CLEAR if you want to use TSA PreCheck benefits because you'll be directed to the standard TSA screening area.

What airports are TSA PreCheck and CLEAR available in?

If expediting your airport screening process is your main concern, both of these programs can suit that need.

But keep in mind that not all airports in the United States have these programs implemented. The busiest US airports generally offer both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, though TSA PreCheck is still much more widely available nationally.

15 busiest US airports	TSA PreCheck	CLEAR
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)	Yes	Yes
Los Angeles International (LAX)	Yes	Yes
Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)	Yes	Yes
Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)	Yes	Yes
Denver International (DEN)	Yes	Yes
John F. Kennedy International (JFK)	Yes	Yes
San Francisco International (SFO)	Yes	Yes
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)	Yes	Yes
McCarran International (LAS)	Yes	Yes
Orlando International (MCO)	Yes	Yes
Newark Liberty International (EWR)	Yes	Yes
Charlotte/Douglas International (CLT)	Yes	No
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)	Yes	Yes
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston (IAH)	Yes	Yes
Miami International (MIA)	Yes	Yes

For a full list of locations, you can review the TSA PreCheck map and CLEAR’s location list.

Should you choose TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, or both?

So with all this information, which program should you choose — or are both your best bet? Consider the following circumstances to decide which works best for you.

Review CLEAR first. CLEAR is available in fewer places. If you rarely visit locations where CLEAR is an option, you may not get your money’s worth from the program.

Are you a solo or family traveler? If you often travel solo, airport security may not be very stressful for you. That said, if you detest waiting in line, enrolling in both programs together will shorten your wait as much as feasibly possible.

If you frequently travel with your family, becoming a member of both programs could simplify things. Kids under 12 are welcome in PreCheck lines, and those under 18 can go through CLEAR lines with a parent at no cost. If you have small kids and are constantly juggling IDs, boarding passes, and luggage, membership in both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR Plus could take the stress out of security screenings. (Note that your spouse will need a paid membership in both programs.)

How often do you travel internationally? If you are a semi-frequent flyer on an international basis, another expedited security program such as Global Entry may be a better fit for you. Global Entry is a Trusted Traveler Program offered by the Department of Homeland Security and it can help you get through U.S. Customs and Border Protection screenings when arriving at a U.S. airports. Both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are only available domestically. However, a Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck at no additional cost. If you have a credit card that offers TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee reimbursement, it's typically best to choose Global Entry because you'll get access to both the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck programs.

For more information, read our guide to TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR.

CLEAR use at stadiums. If you live near a stadium where CLEAR is available and often attend events there, it may be easier to justify the cost of CLEAR since you’ll get more use from it.

How to get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR for free

The easiest way to get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR Plus for free is typically through a credit card that offers one (or both) of these benefits. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X both offer up to $100 in statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

For more credit cards with this benefit, check out our list of free TSA PreCheck cards.

If you’re interested in CLEAR Plus, there are fewer options available for getting discounts through credit cards. For a full discount, the Amex Platinum offers up to $189 statement credit for a CLEAR Plus membership each year. Similarly, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers the same up to $189 statement credit each year. Both of these cards also offer up to $100 in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credits.

For more CLEAR discounts, the Amex Green offers up to $189 statement credit for CLEAR Plus each year, whereas certain Delta credit cards and United credit cards offer $40 off.

Bottom line

In summary, these programs are not competitors by any means. Many frequent travelers, including me, have memberships with both programs — which is made easy if you carry the right credit cards.

The main goal of both is to avoid long wait times. So by having access to TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, you can give yourself a “double insurance” that you will be through security quickly and on your way to your gate.