How to Get Clear for Free
Here’s what you need to know about Clear — including how to get it for free.
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A Clear Plus membership gets you through security faster by using your biometric information to verify your identity. Clear is available at more than 58 airports nationwide and several major sports stadiums. An individual membership costs $189 per year, but there are several ways to get it for free or at a reduced cost. Here’s everything you need to know about the program, including how to get Clear Plus for free.
Clear Costs and Requirements
Clear uses biometrics, like your eyes or fingerprints, to identify you before you go through airport security, and this means you can skip the document verification process while going through TSA. Many people use Clear in conjunction with TSA PreCheck, which expedites and simplifies security scanning. If you have both, you can go to the front of the line for identity verification using biometric data, then breeze through security without removing your shoes, laptop, or liquids.
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A Clear Plus individual membership costs $189 annually, substantially more than the $78 TSA PreCheck five-year membership fee. A family membership runs $189 per year for the primary account holder, plus $99 per person for up to three adults on your account. You can travel together or separately, and the family membership isn’t limited to family. Friends can be included in this membership, making it more cost-effective for everyone.
To qualify, you must be 18 or older and have a valid form of government I.D., which can include any of the following:
U.S. driver's license
U.S. passport
State-issued ID
You can enroll in Clear online or in person at the airport. If you enroll online, you will complete your enrollment at the airport, where a Clear ambassador will take your biometric data.
Related: How to Get Global Entry for Free
Credit Cards That Offer Clear Credits
The Clear Plus annual fee is much higher than TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, so fewer credit cards offer statement credits to cover the full cost of a membership. However, there are still a few options to consider. Each of these cards provides a statement credit of up to $189 per calendar year when you use your card to pay the annual fee of a Clear Plus membership.
Premium Credit Cards:
Amex Green Card: $150 annual fee
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $550 annual fee
The Platinum Card by American Express: $695 annual fee
Business Credit Cards:
The Business Platinum Card by American Express: $695 annual fee
Other Ways to Get Clear for Free or at a Reduced Rate
Luckily, there are several ways outside of credit cards to get Clear at a discounted rate.
Family members under 18 can join you in the Clear lane without an account. Select groups, like military service members and government employees, are eligible for a membership at a discounted rate. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have partnered with Clear to offer free or discounted rates for select frequent fliers. Diamond Medallion and Delta 360 members receive a free annual Clear Plus membership, as do Premier 1K members at United.
If you have silver, gold, or platinum medallion status at Delta, you receive $40 off an annual membership, paying just $149 per year. This is the same for United — anyone with Premier silver, gold, or platinum can enroll for $149 per year. Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express and United credit card holders receive the same rate of $149 annually.
Finally, SkyMiles and MileagePlus members receive a $10 annual discount and a 14-day trial. So, you can access a special rate of $179 per year simply by enrolling in the frequent flier program for free.
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