TSA PreCheck® vs. CLEAR+: Which One is Better?

If you're looking to get through airport security lines faster, you've got a few options. Many travelers come to the same dilemma: TSA PreCheck® or CLEAR+, which one is better?

No, these two programs aren't the same. While both promise to get you through the airport faster, there are some key differences. From how they work to the cost to where you can use them, there's a lot to consider when weighing your options. And they keep changing, with the introduction of Touchless ID for TSA PreCheck users and a recent rollout of drastically faster e-Gates at many (but not all) CLEAR+ checkpoints.

And in some cases, could it even make sense to have them both? It sure could … but not for everyone. Keep reading to see our take on both of these programs.

Key Takeaways

• TSA PreCheck is available at virtually every U.S. airport, while you'll only find CLEAR+ lanes at 60 airports or so
• PreCheck gets you into a designated security lane, allowing you to keep liquids and electronics in your bag and leave a belt and light jacket on
• CLEAR+ cuts you to the front of whichever line you have access to: PreCheck or the standard queue
• CLEAR's speed can be incredibly hit-or-miss from airport to airport – especially when they ask for a secondary identity check
• While there are several ways to make both services free, CLEAR+ is exorbitantly expensive compared to PreCheck

A Straightforward Primer on PreCheck

TSA PreCheck is run by the federal Transportation Security Administration as a trusted-traveler program. You've seen those lanes at the airport, right?

Only members of this program are eligible to hop in the TSA PreCheck lanes, which means lines are generally much shorter than the standard screening lines. And once you’re in it, there’s no need to remove your coat or belt, nor do you need to remove electronics or liquids from your bag. That means the line moves much faster, too.

In short, TSA PreCheck can shave a ton of time off your wait in the security line. Your first time using it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t join the program sooner.

The one catch is that TSA PreCheck only partners with specific airlines, so you may not always get that quick pass through security. However, all major domestic airlines and even many small U.S. carriers are included. All told, roughly 100 airlines currently participate in PreCheck – and that number is constantly growing.

And it seems to just get better, too – at least so long as you're comfortable with facial recognition, that is. The rapid rollout of TSA Touchless ID at airports across the country – more than 60, as of publication – makes clearing security with PreCheck faster than ever. Just keep walking, pose for a quick photo, and you're on your way.

Applying for PreCheck starts with a fairly easy application process and background check and ends with an in-person interview. If all goes well, you can get signed up for PreCheck within just a week or two. Some airports even let you sign up for PreCheck on-site the day you fly – no appointment necessary.

You can also get TSA PreCheck by enrolling in Global Entry, which doubles as a fast pass through customs and immigration when you return from an international flight. Once you've got PreCheck, you just need to enter your Known Traveler Number (KTN) in your airline frequent flyer account and you'll be set to hit the TSA PreCheck line for your next flight.

Read our full guide with everything you need to know about TSA PreCheck!

The 101 on CLEAR+

Like TSA PreCheck, CLEAR+ promises a faster trip through the airport security line. You've likely seen the dedicated lanes and CLEAR+ kiosks at the airport, too. But it works much differently than PreCheck.

For starters, CLEAR+ isn't run by the government: It's a privately run trusted traveler program. CLEAR+ uses biometrics – like your fingerprints and iris scans – to verify your identity. That allows you to cut to the front of the airport security line. 

And that brings us to an important distinction: The two programs … really aren't related at all. If you have CLEAR+ but not TSA PreCheck, you'll cut to the front of the standard security line, where you'll need to take off your coat and shoes and remove any electronics in your bag. If you have both, you'll go to the front of the PreCheck line and make your way through even faster.

That means CLEAR+ can certainly shave some time off your trip through security. Sometimes the time you save can be substantial – especially when security lines are particularly bad. In other cases, the time savings can be negligible – and at particularly busy airports with many CLEAR+ members like Atlanta (ATL) or Denver (DEN), it can even cost you more time.

Another big difference between the two programs is that CLEAR+ members don't typically need to show ID when they make it to the front of the TSA lane. While that's changed over the years – random checks have become frustratingly common.

And CLEAR+ recently made a huge leap forward with the rollout of e-Gates at nearly 40 U.S. airports and counting. With this new technology in place, you can simply scan your boarding pass with an agent, head to one of the new electronic gates, tap the gate for a quick selfie, and then proceed through – all without a word or so much as a glance at a TSA officer! 

Signing up for CLEAR+ isn't nearly as cumbersome as TSA PreCheck. You can apply online at home, and then wrap up your enrollment at the airport in about 5-10 minutes. From there, you just waltz to the CLEAR+ lane, scan your fingerprints or iris scans in one of the machines with an agent, and head to the front of the security lane.

Read our master guide to CLEAR+ and how it works!

But just because it's easy doesn't mean it's free.

How Much Do They Cost?

This is easily the biggest difference you'll find between these two time-saving airport programs.

TSA PreCheck costs just $78 for a five-year membership. And whether you get PreCheck outright or through a Global Entry membership, you can cover that cost with a growing number of credit cards.

CLEAR+, on the other hand, starts at a whopping $209 each year. That's right: Each year of CLEAR+ will cost you more than double what you'd pay for a five-year TSA PreCheck membership. The sticker shock alone can make it an easy decision.

Luckily, there are a handful of ways you can reduce the cost of CLEAR+ … just not by as much as before.

Just by having a frequent flyer account with either Delta or United, you can drop the cost to $199 per year. Co-branded credit cardholders and travelers with status can get an even bigger discount, while top-tier Delta Diamond Medallions can get it for free. Honestly, there's really no reason to ever pay full price for CLEAR+.

And there's a way to make CLEAR+ even cheaper with the right cards in your wallet. 

While the list of cards that offer credits to cover the cost of CLEAR+ isn't quite as long as TSA PreCheck, a trio of cards will offset the entire price of CLEAR+: 

• The *amex platinum card* – plus its business counterpart, *Business Platinum Card* 
• American Express® Green Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link)
• *Hilton Aspire*

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CLEAR+ Isn't Everywhere … Yet

TSA PreCheck is available at 200 airports nationwide. That means you can use PreCheck at almost any airport in the country, big and small.

That's not the case with CLEAR+ – at least not yet. CLEAR+ has expanded drastically over the last several years. It's available at more than 50 U.S. airports and counting, with more locations at even small airports added seemingly every month. Scan the list, and you'll see that it's primarily the nation's largest hubs.

Also note that even at the airports where CLEAR+ has a presence, it's not available at each and every terminal. CLEAR+ has partnered with both Delta and United, so their emphasis is on those airlines' hubs and focus cities as the service continues to expand.

If you're a sports fan, there's a silver lining. CLEAR+ is also available at a handful of professional sports stadiums and venues, too.

How Does It Work For Families?

If you're traveling with a spouse, partner, or kids in tow, there are more differences in store based on whether you've got TSA PreCheck vs. CLEAR+.

In a recent family-friendly move, TSA regulations now say an adult’s TSA PreCheck membership will apply to minors who are 17 or younger and are booked on the same reservation. Just be sure that the TSA PreCheck holder books the tickets, and it should almost always work for kids on the same reservation. For teens 13 to 17, their boarding pass needs to have the PreCheck indicator check mark or they won't be able to accompany you into the PreCheck lanes.

But what about spouses, other family members, or friends? In theory, those benefits won’t be passed down. But in practice, airlines will sometimes pass it on to an entire reservation. Airlines just have some discretion in deciding whether or not to pass on these benefits to everyone.

In short, Airlines often give the rest of your traveling party your TSA PreCheck benefits. But you can’t always count on it.

With CLEAR+, it's a different story. One of the best, little-known features of CLEAR+ is its Family Plan.

When you enroll in a CLEAR+ membership, you can add up to three adults to your Family Plan for only $125 per adult, per year. After you add them, all they need to do is head to a participating location and finish their enrollment. It will only take a few minutes and they can start using it right away. They can use CLEAR+ anytime, whether or not they’re traveling with you.

So if you often travel with a companion, there's no need for both of you to sign up for CLEAR+ separately. Just let them piggyback on your account for less. 

And it's even better for kids. For kids or any family members under the age of 18, you can bring them along through the CLEAR+ line with you for free. They don’t even need to be added to your Family Plan.

TSA PreCheck or CLEAR+ … Or Maybe Both?

It just sounds extra, doesn't it? Do you really need both of these traveler programs?

Well, probably not. But there's no denying that these two programs work well in tandem. You can use CLEAR+ to cut to the front of the TSA PreCheck line, and then get through without having to worry about shedding your jacket or taking things out of your bag. It's a nice experience – especially with CLEAR's touchless process that has gotten even better (and speedier) with the rollout of new technology at many airports.

For what it's worth, I have both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR+. My wife only has TSA PreCheck. When we travel together, it isn't uncommon for her to beat me through the security line when neither line is long.

So is it worth having both? That depends on a few things.

• How much are you paying for each service? If you're getting steep discounts by holding the right credit cards, then why not? But if you're paying the full sticker price, it'd be pretty hard to justify.
• Do you frequently fly in and out of airports with CLEAR+ service? Especially an airport with the new e-Gate system already up and running? If so, ponying up for both memberships could be worth it. But if your home airport doesn't have CLEAR+, why bother?

If you are going to go after just one service, our suggestion is TSA PreCheck. It is a much better value at $78 for a five-year membership and it will drastically cut down your wait times in airport lines.

Bottom Line

While they both bill themselves as being your ticket to a quicker trip through the security line, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR+ are drastically different.

Whether it makes the most sense for you to get PreCheck, CLEAR+, or both depends on how much you travel, where you live, and your appetite for spending big bucks to make your next trip through the airport a little bit faster.