If you’re going to go to an airport you know what’s in store for you: lines, especially at security, where it can range from 20 to 40 minutes at some places. If necessity is truly the mother of invention, there’s another way to do it. One new innovative idea includes a private-public partnership that can get you through security in two minutes or less, and it’s working.
Many of you might use or at least know about the TSA PreCheck program. In principle, it works like this. For a five year membership that costs $85, this trusted traveler program permits you to bypass normal security and go through a separate lane. You don’t have to remove your shoes, your jacket, or your laptop.
It sounds good, but going to a separate PreCheck lane doesn’t always avoid a long line.
Enter CLEAR, a private alternative to PreCheck, designed to expedite travel without compromising security. You enter another separate lane where you can get your fingerprints or eyes read. Once there’s a match, you’re good to go and it can save valuable time.
Part of what makes CLEAR work is that once you go through the biometrics process you don’t have to show anything else until you get to the gate. This includes a boarding pass or a driver’s license.
“As long as there is biometric boarding you could use this right to board the plane,” said Chairman and CEO of CLEAR, Caryn Seidman-Becker. “We have this same fingerprint reader at the Delta Sky Club so we can keep launching more different clubs, and so you can use this to get into the Sky Club. We have capabilities for biometric bag drop so you can do self [service] bag drop because everything here is what is attached to your wallet.”
What that means is lines that move demonstrably faster. If you save two or more minutes per passenger, and there are 40 people in a single line, you’ve saved considerable time.
“There’ve been studies in different airports that say we add not only speed, but we drive 30% to 35% efficiency as well,” Seidman-Becker said.
CLEAR has now expanded beyond its current 60+ airports to include stadiums and concert venues.
As for a price comparison, CLEAR is a more expensive choice. PreCheck costs $85, and $100 for Global Entry – each for a five year membership. CLEAR weighs in at $179 per year, yet additional family members can be added for $50 each.
There are a number of promotional programs – – with airlines and credit cards – – that offer substantial discounts. Depending on how much you fly – – and how much your time is worth to you – – CLEAR can have a strong value proposition.
