TSA Will Require Extra Screening for More CLEAR Members
Airport security is a big headache for frequent travelers, especially during busy travel seasons. There are a few options yo get you past those long lines just a bit quicker. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) offers its PreCheck membership and there’s also CLEAR that is offered by a private company.
TSA PreCheck is much cheaper at $78 for 5 years. CLEAR costs $189 per year. But while PreCheck gets you into a shorter line, CLEAR allows you to skip the security line entirely and avoid ID checks. CLEAR members have access to their own airport security lines, where they verify identities at a kiosk before being escorted to the front of the line.
But that will change for some CLEAR members. According to The Washington Post, a recent letter from TSA to the company and participating airports, an increasing number of CLEAR members will need to have their IDs checked by a TSA officer, a step that is required for most other travelers.
TSA began increasing the number of random checks for CLEAR members after a security incident in July 2022. The details of the incident have not been revealed. But, starting this month, more CLEAR customers will be subject to additional scrutiny, a move that erodes one of the company’s key selling points.
“TSA is responsible for ensuring that all systems and programs, including those provided by private companies, meet requisite standards and will take necessary steps to ensure security needs are met,” the agency said in a statement. “Accurate and reliable verification of passenger identity is foundational to aviation security and effective screening by TSA.”
CLEAR does not reveal enrollment numbers for its airport program. However, the company said in an email it processes more than 10 percent of travelers at the 52 airports that are part of the program.
In a statement, the company said that despite the shift, “CLEAR will continue to deliver the superior and secure experience that travelers know, love and depend on.”
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So with this change CLEAR is now literally just a paid line-cutting pass. The only thing CLEAR is doing now is checking to make sure you’ve paid your CLEAR membership so you can cut the line. What a racket