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CLEAR is Hiking Annual Membership Prices for New Delta SkyMiles Members

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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.

 

CLEAR Delta Prices

 

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.

 

AirportTerminal(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
Buffalo (BUF)Main Terminal
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
Hartford (BDL)Terminal A
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 3 & 4
Pittsburgh (PIT)Main Terminal
Providence (PVD)Main Terminal
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
Tulsa (TUL)Main Terminal
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 VenueCityWhere to Access
SunTrust ParkAtlanta, GAChop House, First Base & Third Base Gates
Oriole Park at Camden YardsBaltimore, MDGate C
Progressive FieldCleveland, OHE. 9th Street Patio Gate
Globe Life Park in ArlingtonArlington, TXFirst Base Gate
Coors FieldDenver, COGates C & D
Comerica ParkDetroit, MIGate A
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CAFigueroa Street Entrance
Banc of California Stadium
Los Angeles, CANorthwest Plaza & Northeast Gate
AmericanAirlines ArenaMiami, FLGates 1 & 2
Target FieldMinneapolis, MNGate 34
Yankee StadiumNew York, NYBabe Ruth Plaza, Suite Entrance, & Gate 6
Citi Field
New York, NYJackie Robinson Rotunda & Seaver Gate
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY7th Ave South Entrance
Oakland-Alameda County ColiseumOakland, CAGate C & D
Oracle ParkSan Francisco, CAWillie Mays Gate & King Street Gates
Avaya Stadium San Jose, CAMain Gate
T-Mobile Park
Seattle, WAHome Plate & Left Field Entrances
CenturyLink Field
Seattle, WANorth 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.

 

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

3 Responses

  • 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….

    • 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.

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