TSA PreCheck is one thing, but there's no better airport time-saver out there than CLEAR. CLEAR allows you to skip to the front of the airport security line. Combined with TSA PreCheck, you can get through almost any line in just minutes.
While the service's $179 annual fee is too rich for many travelers, Delta SkyMiles members and co-branded credit card holders have been able to cut that cost in half or more. And those discounts aren't disappearing, but they are shrinking for flyers who aren't already signed up.
Delta announced Friday that effective immediately, registration fees for SkyMiles members and Delta Amex cardholders are increasing by $20 to $30 a year. Here's a look at how these increases break down.
- All Delta SkyMiles Members: $119 per year – was $99
- Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Holders: $109 per year – was $79
- Delta Platinum, Gold, and Silver Medallion Members: $109 per year – was $79
- Delta Diamond Medallion Members: Free – was free
Critically, these new prices will only hit new CLEAR registrations. If you signed up and paid for your membership prior to April 5, 2019, your membership will renew at the older, cheaper rate.
Let's say you signed up for CLEAR last year when you held Silver Medallion status with Delta, and paid $79. You'll continue paying $79 each year so long as you hold status with the airline. If you lose status, your next membership renewal will cost $99 – the fee for all SkyMiles members under the old pricing structure.
Is Clear Worth It?
Before these prices increases, I asked the question: Is CLEAR worth it?
After my first trip through using clear and finalizing my membership, I was sold. I've used it a handful of times since and can attest just what an enormous time saver it can be.
The one hitch with CLEAR is that it’s not available at every airport – but its presence is growing fast. It’s available at 27 U.S. airports and counting, along with a handful of professional sports stadiums.
| Airport | Terminal(s) |
|---|---|
| Atlanta (ATL) | North & South Domestic Terminals |
| Austin (AUS) | Checkpoints 1 & 2 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | Checkpoints A,B,C, D & E |
| Birmingham (BHM) | Main Terminal |
| Boise (BOI) | Main Terminal |
| Boston (BOS) | Terminal A |
| Chicago-Midway (MDW) | Main Terminal |
| Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) | Terminal 1 & 2 |
| Cincinnati (CVG) | Main Terminal |
| Cleveland (CLE) | Center & South Checkpoints |
| Columbus (CMH) | Main Terminal |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | Terminal E |
| Dallas-Love Field (DAL) | Terminal 1 |
| Denver (DEN) | North & South Entrances |
| Detroit (DTW) | North & McNamara Terminals |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | Terminals 1 & 2 |
| Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) | Main Terminal |
| Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) | Terminals A, B, C and E |
| Houston-Hobby (HOU) | Main Terminal |
| Kansas City (MCI) | Main Terminal |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | Terminals 1 & 3 |
| Long Beach (LGB) | Main Terminal |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Terminals 1 - 7 |
| Miami (MIA) | Checkpoints E & H |
| Milwaukee (MKE) | Main Terminal |
| Minneapolis−Saint Paul (MSP) | Terminal 1 |
| Nashville (BNA) | Central Checkpoint |
| New Orleans (MSY) | Concourse D |
| New York City-John F. Kennedy (JFK) | Terminals 2 & 4 |
| New York-LaGuardia (LGA) | Terminals C & D |
| Newark (EWR) | Terminal C |
| Oakland (OAK) | Terminal 2 |
| Oklahoma City (OKC) | Main Terminal |
| Ontario (ONT) | Terminal 2 & 4 |
| Orlando (MCO) | East & West Security |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | Terminal A/B & C |
| Palm Springs (PSP) | Main Terminal |
| Phoenix (PHX) | Terminals 2, 3 & 4 |
| Raleigh-Durham (RDU) | Terminals 1 & 2 |
| Sacramento (SMF) | Terminal A & B |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | Terminals 1 & 2 |
| San Antonio (SAT) | Terminals A & B |
| San Diego (SAN) | Terminal 2 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | Terminals 1-3, International Terminals A & G |
| San Jose (SJC) | Terminal A & B |
| San Juan (SJU(+) | Terminals A, B & C |
| Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) | Checkpoints 1-5 |
| St. Louis (STL) | Terminal 2 |
| Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) | Main Terminal & East Security Checkpoint |
| Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA) | Terminals A, B & C |
| Westchester County (HPN) | Main Terminal |
| Sports Venue | City | Where to Access |
|---|---|---|
| SunTrust Park | Atlanta, GA | Chop House, First Base & Third Base Gates |
| Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Baltimore, MD | Gate C |
| Progressive Field | Cleveland, OH | E. 9th Street Patio Gate |
| Globe Life Park in Arlington | Arlington, TX | First Base Gate |
| Coors Field | Denver, CO | Gates C & D |
| Comerica Park | Detroit, MI | Gate A |
| STAPLES Center | Los Angeles, CA | Figueroa Street Entrance |
| Banc of California Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | Northwest Plaza & Northeast Gate |
| AmericanAirlines Arena | Miami, FL | Gates 1 & 2 |
| Target Field | Minneapolis, MN | Gate 34 |
| Yankee Stadium | New York, NY | Babe Ruth Plaza, Suite Entrance, & Gate 6 |
| Citi Field | New York, NY | Jackie Robinson Rotunda & Seaver Gate |
| Madison Square Garden | New York, NY | 7th Ave South Entrance |
| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | Oakland, CA | Gate C & D |
| Oracle Park | San Francisco, CA | Willie Mays Gate & King Street Gates |
| Avaya Stadium | San Jose, CA | Main Gate |
| T-Mobile Park | Seattle, WA | Home Plate & Left Field Entrances |
| CenturyLink Field | Seattle, WA | North Plaza & Southwest Entrance |
Even with these price increases, the increased cost for Delta members could still easily be worth it – depending on how much you travel. But the good news is that existing members don't have to worry about paying more.
Bottom Line
Perhaps the discounts for Delta flyers were too steep for CLEAR, but this is a bummer. Still, we can't overstate how much time you can save using CLEAR. If you travel frequently, it can still easily be worth this extra cost to get signed up for CLEAR.
Yoh lost me at “there’s no better airport time-saver out there than CLEAR”… Seriously, and in spite of your graphic that exagerates *any* TSA PreCheck experience I have been through, and while CLEAR might save one a few minutes, I doubt many can justify the added cost, even at the pre-increase discounted Delta Medallion member cost.
To further qualify my comments, I am a Delta Platinum medallion, I fly out of LAX (one of the busiest airports I know of) and I do so over 12 times a year. Don’t see the value even if I flew out twice as many times…
Example: using clear 24 times a year, @$ 79.00 per year means I am paying $3.29 each time I go through…
All, for what?
To save 3 minutes, each time, on average?
So I can get to my gate 3 minutes earlier?
Only to end up spending that 3 minutes there while I wait for my boarding call?
End result: Total time saved = Zero!
But, to each his own….
Cool story.
If you figure you’re only saving 3 minutes with CLEAR each time, then sure — I get where you’re coming from.
In my experience, it’s more like 10 minutes. But as you said, to each his own.