Is Clear worth it?

[myth2001]

I've got an Amex Platinum, so Clear would be free, and I haven't bothered. I fly through AUS and DEN at least once a month, with MCO and ALB in there frequently, too. I've never been in a line long enough to make me want to spend the time to even research Clear.

FYI: the Morgan Stanley branded Amex Platinum comes with two cards and, I'm pretty sure, both get the Clear credit. Some benefits are per-account and some are per-cardholder.

I have the MS Amex platinum, and my wife is the free authorized user.
We get separate GE/pre-check credit, but only one $180 CLEAR credit
(Workaround as someone mentioned previously, through a frequent flyer program you can get CLEAR discounted enough to cover both family members)

 

[mikehn]

WOW! What airport(s) do you fly out of that regular lines move quicker than precheck?
I'm honestly asking since by me, that doesn't exist LOL

there are usually multiple regular lines while there is only one precheck line, so it happens believe it or not

 

[EACarlson]

I travel frequently for work and find the Global Entry (which includes PreCheck) and FlyClear to make my life so much nicer. Even if the regular line is slightly shorter by length I will always take the Clear/Pre option because I don't have to remove my laptop and shoes. The other big benefit is you don't have to go thru the 'nude-o-scope' detector which I find to be incredibly invasive. Pre/Clear combo just uses the regular metal detector. They may send you thru the nude-o-scope if you ding too many times but overall Pre/Clear is just so much more civilized.

You would have those benefits without Clear. I've not taken my shoes off at a checkpoint in 4 years, no longer even put my liquids in a bag because it never comes out of my backpack. You may still get "randomly" selected to go through the mm wave machine. Happened to my wife last week at MSP. Then somehow there was an alert near her crotch, she was only wearing leggings.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I really like Clear, but depending on your home airports and when you travel, your mileage may vary. Obviously, not all airports are crazy crowded. However, my home base is LAX, and especially during peak holiday travel, the PreCheck lines get very backed up (I swear everyone at LAX has PreCheck), and Clear makes a HUGE difference. I've also found it very helpful at MCO (the WORST airport security lines IMO). Also, I like not having to fumble around with my wallet to pull out my ID when using Clear. With the Clear+PreCheck combo, you can leave your ID in your wallet and keep your shoes on - best of both worlds!

Also, you don't need to pay the Amex Platinum annual fee to get Clear covered by your credit card. Amex Green ($150 AF) also provides a $180 Clear credit. (Tangent - IMO Green is the most underrated Amex card. 3x points on travel, transportation, and dining... arguably a better charge card than Platinum for point accrual.) I have Delta Gold, so my Clear cost is reduced to $109/year, and I add my boyfriend to my family plan for $60/year - totally covered by Amex Green $180 Clear credit.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

You would have those benefits without Clear. I've not taken my shoes off at a checkpoint in 4 years, no longer even put my liquids in a bag because it never comes out of my backpack. You may still get "randomly" selected to go through the mm wave machine. Happened to my wife last week at MSP. Then somehow there was an alert near her crotch, she was only wearing leggings.

Are they Spanx leggings? This happened to my mom several times! A TSA agent finally told her that it was a common problem with the Spanx leggings, so she stopped wearing them to the airport.

 

[EACarlson]

Are they Spanx leggings? This happened to my mom several times! A TSA agent finally told her that it was a common problem with the Spanx leggings, so she stopped wearing them to the airport.

Victoria's Secret. No problems on the way home, but we only had to go through the metal detectors.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

You would have those benefits without Clear. I've not taken my shoes off at a checkpoint in 4 years, no longer even put my liquids in a bag because it never comes out of my backpack. You may still get "randomly" selected to go through the mm wave machine. Happened to my wife last week at MSP. Then somehow there was an alert near her crotch, she was only wearing leggings.

It is still listed on the TSA website that unless you have PreCheck then you must remove your shoes. I pay for both Global Entry which includes Precheck AND Clear. The combination works for me as it is just so much nicer to not have to remove my ID from my bag. I just hand over my boarding pass (whether on my phone or paper) and let them scan my eyes. I am then personally escorted to the front of the line. At IAH, if you have Precheck and Clear you are escorted to the front of the PreCheck line so, yes it does have benefits that other Precheck folks don't get. As someone who travels regularly every little bit of time helps. You also can have Clear and not have PreCheck. Clear is more like having concierge service at the airport. PreCheck is getting you slightly better service by not having to remove shoes/laptops/liquids as you are deemed a lower risk traveler.

I personally think Clear is worth it but everyone should review their own personal circumstances and determine if their travel fact pattern makes it worth it. Since this is a Disney board and if one only travels once a year to Disney and has no other flights in the year then I would not recommend PreCheck or Clear as the value proposition is generally not there. However, if you are frequent traveler (I was flying over 100K every year prior to Covid) it just makes sense. Knowing that I can go from the curb to the gate in less than 15 minutes makes it a great investment. Took my sister and family to Disney this year and they didn't have Clear or Precheck. I dropped them at the curb at our home airport then went and parked in extended parking, rode the shuttle bus back to the airport and STILL beat them to the gate due to my Precheck/Clear status.

 

[myth2001]

It is still listed on the TSA website that unless you have PreCheck then you must remove your shoes. I pay for both Global Entry which includes Precheck AND Clear. The combination works for me as it is just so much nicer to not have to remove my ID from my bag. I just hand over my boarding pass (whether on my phone or paper) and let them scan my eyes. I am then personally escorted to the front of the line. At IAH, if you have Precheck and Clear you are escorted to the front of the PreCheck line so, yes it does have benefits that other Precheck folks don't get. As someone who travels regularly every little bit of time helps. You also can have Clear and not have PreCheck. Clear is more like having concierge service at the airport. PreCheck is getting you slightly better service by not having to remove shoes/laptops/liquids as you are deemed a lower risk traveler.

I personally think Clear is worth it but everyone should review their own personal circumstances and determine if their travel fact pattern makes it worth it. Since this is a Disney board and if one only travels once a year to Disney and has no other flights in the year then I would not recommend PreCheck or Clear as the value proposition is generally not there. However, if you are frequent traveler (I was flying over 100K every year prior to Covid) it just makes sense. Knowing that I can go from the curb to the gate in less than 15 minutes makes it a great investment. Took my sister and family to Disney this year and they didn't have Clear or Precheck. I dropped them at the curb at our home airport then went and parked in extended parking, rode the shuttle bus back to the airport and STILL beat them to the gate due to my Precheck/Clear status.

Global entry only include Pre-check. CLEAR is separate.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Global entry only include Pre-check. CLEAR is separate.

what i was saying Global Entry includes Precheck. I pay a separate fee for Clear. Both are worth the money.

 

[kamcgrory]

I travel frequently for work and find the Global Entry (which includes PreCheck) and FlyClear to make my life so much nicer. Even if the regular line is slightly shorter by length I will always take the Clear/Pre option because I don't have to remove my laptop and shoes. The other big benefit is you don't have to go thru the 'nude-o-scope' detector which I find to be incredibly invasive. Pre/Clear combo just uses the regular metal detector. They may send you thru the nude-o-scope if you ding too many times but overall Pre/Clear is just so much more civilized.

Thank you for this. This literally made me laugh out loud and I so needed it after the day I had.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

You would have those benefits without Clear. I've not taken my shoes off at a checkpoint in 4 years, no longer even put my liquids in a bag because it never comes out of my backpack. You may still get "randomly" selected to go through the mm wave machine. Happened to my wife last week at MSP. Then somehow there was an alert near her crotch, she was only wearing leggings.

You are not the norm in what I've witnessed. Everyone I see in the non-Precheck line is going in without shoes on and coming out, sitting down to put on shoes. At ATL/BNA and MCO. Even my 80 yo mom had to take hers off till she got PreCheck in 2021. Liquids I can't comment on because you can't watch what happens there but it's very obvious when people have no shoes on and when they are sitting down putting them on, especially on the benches post security. It's full of people putting on shoes

 

[Mrs.AMC]

It is still listed on the TSA website that unless you have PreCheck then you must remove your shoes. I pay for both Global Entry which includes Precheck AND Clear. The combination works for me as it is just so much nicer to not have to remove my ID from my bag. I just hand over my boarding pass (whether on my phone or paper) and let them scan my eyes. I am then personally escorted to the front of the line. At IAH, if you have Precheck and Clear you are escorted to the front of the PreCheck line so, yes it does have benefits that other Precheck folks don't get. As someone who travels regularly every little bit of time helps. You also can have Clear and not have PreCheck. Clear is more like having concierge service at the airport. PreCheck is getting you slightly better service by not having to remove shoes/laptops/liquids as you are deemed a lower risk traveler.

I personally think Clear is worth it but everyone should review their own personal circumstances and determine if their travel fact pattern makes it worth it. Since this is a Disney board and if one only travels once a year to Disney and has no other flights in the year then I would not recommend PreCheck or Clear as the value proposition is generally not there. However, if you are frequent traveler (I was flying over 100K every year prior to Covid) it just makes sense. Knowing that I can go from the curb to the gate in less than 15 minutes makes it a great investment. Took my sister and family to Disney this year and they didn't have Clear or Precheck. I dropped them at the curb at our home airport then went and parked in extended parking, rode the shuttle bus back to the airport and STILL beat them to the gate due to my Precheck/Clear status.

I so agree. I love Clear. Would I do it if it wasn't compensated by a credit card? Not sure. I don't find any long Pre-Check lines at the airports with Clear but I do love not having to drag out my ID. My home airport does not use Clear so I don't even use it all the time. But when it's used, I love it.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I travel frequently for work and find the Global Entry (which includes PreCheck) and FlyClear to make my life so much nicer. Even if the regular line is slightly shorter by length I will always take the Clear/Pre option because I don't have to remove my laptop and shoes. The other big benefit is you don't have to go thru the 'nude-o-scope' detector which I find to be incredibly invasive. Pre/Clear combo just uses the regular metal detector. They may send you thru the nude-o-scope if you ding too many times but overall Pre/Clear is just so much more civilized.

Just don't get any joints replaced. Then you have to opt in to the scanner. Your days of avoiding it are done.

 

[CarolynFH]

Just don't get any joints replaced. Then you have to opt in to the scanner. Your days of avoiding it are done.

I have an artificial joint, acquired in 2020. It’s titanium, and I can go through the PreCheck X-ray machine just fine, don’t need the scanner. I think most modern artificial joints are titanium.

 

[DVC-Don]

I have an artificial joint, acquired in 2020. It’s titanium, and I can go through the PreCheck X-ray machine just fine, don’t need the scanner. I think most modern artificial joints are titanium.

I have Pre-Check and Clear. Depends on the x-ray machine. Got a hip replacement mid 2019. Orlando machines always alarm on me. But, Albany, NY machines don't. Fly back and forth approx 10x a year.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I have an artificial joint, acquired in 2020. It’s titanium, and I can go through the PreCheck X-ray machine just fine, don’t need the scanner. I think most modern artificial joints are titanium.

Mine were both fine this year. Can’t go through any airport yet. Just faster easier to opt in that deal with will it won’t it work. Ain’t got time or energy for all that

 

[sam_gordon]

You are not the norm in what I've witnessed. Everyone I see in the non-Precheck line is going in without shoes on and coming out, sitting down to put on shoes. At ATL/BNA and MCO. Even my 80 yo mom had to take hers off till she got PreCheck in 2021. Liquids I can't comment on because you can't watch what happens there but it's very obvious when people have no shoes on and when they are sitting down putting them on, especially on the benches post security. It's full of people putting on shoes

You can have precheck without Clear. PRECHECK allows you to keep your shoes on, liquids in your bag, etc. Thats what PP was referring to. Clear just takes you to the front of the Precheck line.

I've flown out of Washington DC (Reagan), Orlando, Cleveland, Nashville, and St Louis in the last two months. With the exception of Nashville, Clear literally would have saved ,me MAYBE 5 minutes (total, not each). In Nashville, maybe 10. Precheck on the otherhand... now that I'm flying more, TOTALLY worth it.

 

[EACarlson]

It is still listed on the TSA website that unless you have PreCheck then you must remove your shoes. I pay for both Global Entry which includes Precheck AND Clear. The combination works for me as it is just so much nicer to not have to remove my ID from my bag. I just hand over my boarding pass (whether on my phone or paper) and let them scan my eyes. I am then personally escorted to the front of the line. At IAH, if you have Precheck and Clear you are escorted to the front of the PreCheck line so, yes it does have benefits that other Precheck folks don't get. As someone who travels regularly every little bit of time helps. You also can have Clear and not have PreCheck. Clear is more like having concierge service at the airport. PreCheck is getting you slightly better service by not having to remove shoes/laptops/liquids as you are deemed a lower risk traveler.

I personally think Clear is worth it but everyone should review their own personal circumstances and determine if their travel fact pattern makes it worth it. Since this is a Disney board and if one only travels once a year to Disney and has no other flights in the year then I would not recommend PreCheck or Clear as the value proposition is generally not there. However, if you are frequent traveler (I was flying over 100K every year prior to Covid) it just makes sense. Knowing that I can go from the curb to the gate in less than 15 minutes makes it a great investment. Took my sister and family to Disney this year and they didn't have Clear or Precheck. I dropped them at the curb at our home airport then went and parked in extended parking, rode the shuttle bus back to the airport and STILL beat them to the gate due to my Precheck/Clear status.

I do have pre. I flew out of MSP on 12/5 and the Pre lane was faster than the Clear/Pre lane. I've had the same thing happen at MCO.

You are not the norm in what I've witnessed. Everyone I see in the non-Precheck line is going in without shoes on and coming out, sitting down to put on shoes. At ATL/BNA and MCO. Even my 80 yo mom had to take hers off till she got PreCheck in 2021. Liquids I can't comment on because you can't watch what happens there but it's very obvious when people have no shoes on and when they are sitting down putting them on, especially on the benches post security. It's full of people putting on shoes

You assume I don't have Pre. I've had Pre since 2017 and have posted here many times that I won't be without it again. I fly probably 10 roundtrips a year around the country for business.