CLEAR Biometric Security: Skip the ID Check at Airports and Sports Venues

CLEAR is a biometric identity verification service that lets you prove who you are using your fingerprint or iris scan instead of handing over a physical ID. At airports, CLEAR members walk up to a dedicated lane, scan their fingerprint or look into a camera, and a CLEAR ambassador walks them directly to the TSA security screening area — skipping the line where everyone shows their boarding pass and ID.

CLEAR does not replace TSA screening. You still go through the X-ray machine and body scanner just like everyone else. What CLEAR replaces is the document check step at the beginning of the TSA lane, which can have its own wait time during busy travel periods.

CLEAR operates at more than 50 airports across the United States, including major hubs like JFK, LAX, O'Hare, and Atlanta. It also works at dozens of sports stadiums and arenas, where members can enter using biometrics rather than showing a ticket ID at specific entrances.

The cost of CLEAR is $189 per year. Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, and some other frequent flyer programs offer discounted or complimentary memberships to their top-tier members. Some credit cards, including certain Delta and United co-branded cards, also include CLEAR membership as a cardholder benefit — worth checking before you pay full price.

CLEAR stores your biometric data securely and does not share it with government agencies. Your fingerprint and iris scan are used only to confirm your identity against what you provided when you enrolled.