The ultimate guide to faster airport security

Flying in and out of airports means standing in lots of lines. There’s a line to check your bags, and another one to board the airplane. But the most notorious of all the airport lines are the ones queuing up at TSA security screening checkpoints.

If you find your patience is waning or you tend to do lots of cardio at airports sprinting to gates before the final boarding call, there’s a couple of ways to skip to the front of the TSA line — but these airport superpowers will cost you.

TSA PreCheck and Clear come with different benefits, though both programs can help save you time at airports.

So, when it comes down to Clear vs. TSA PreCheck, which one is right for you?

In a nutshell, PreCheck is a government-run program that makes screening less of a hassle. Lanes are usually shorter and you don’t have to go through the rigamarole of taking off your shoes, belts or removing your laptop from your carry-on.

Clear is a private company and a membership zips you through security faster by using biometrics to identify you, letting you cut in front of standard screening travelers. Using both in tandem can probably help you set a PR for the time it takes to get through security.

Read on to find out if a Clear+ membership or TSA PreCheck is best for you, or if it makes sense to enroll in both programs and really breeze through security.

How much does TSA PreCheck cost?

While we’re all getting hit by inflation, TSA Precheck costs actually have gone down in recent years.

Here’s how much TSA PreCheck enrollment costs:

TSA PreCheck memberships are good for five years and you can renew the membership in-person for $78 or online for $70.

Bonus Tip: For a limited time, in a rare , you can enroll in TSA PreCheck and get $15 off the second enrollment when two family members sign up together.The enrollment must be by Dec. 31, 2025.

A few dozen also offer PreCheck as a membership benefit.

Online renewal ranges from $58.75 to $70. Members with Clear+ can renew for free. In-person renewals range from $66.75 to $70.

How to get TSA PreCheck?

To get TSA PreCheck, you’ll first have to submit an online application that takes about 5 minutes to fill out and then schedule an appointment at an enrollment center.

• Idemia has 460 enrollment centers plus pop-ups daily. You can find enrollment centers .

• Telos has 505 enrollment centers. You can find enrollment centers .

• CLEAR has 392 enrollment centers. You can find enrollment centers .

At the in-person appointment, you’ll get fingerprinted and go through a background check. The appointment itself takes 10 minutes.

Once you’re enrolled, you’ll get a Known Traveler Number that you can link to your airline reservations and that will show up on your boarding pass, becoming your ticket to access the PreCheck lanes.

Nearly 99% of TSA PreCheck members waited less than 10 minutes in security lines, according to figures from the .

In addition to enjoying the shorter lines, TSA PreCheck members don’t have to remove their shoes, light jackets, belts, laptops or travel-sized liquids when they go through screening. (Hooray for no more barefoot shuffles through security!)

TSA PreCheck is available at 200 airports in the United States and in 2022 the program expanded to its first international location, the Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau in the Bahamas. Ninety airlines participate in PreCheck.

How Do I Get a Clear Membership?

Clear is more expensive than TSA PreCheck.

Enrollment in Clear typically costs $209 a year, however the company runs promotions and your credit card or airline loyalty program could grant you with free or discounted memberships.

For example,‍ United Global Services members with United’s MileagePlus program and Diamond Medallion and Delta 360°members with Delta SkyMiles both get .

You’ll need to enroll at a Clear airport kiosk, but you can start the process online.

Clear uses biometrics like an eye scan or fingerprint to identify you instead of an ID. Once you’re scanned in, a Clear representative will escort you to the front of the security line. However, sometimes you’ll get flagged for a random ID check with TSA.

Clear is available at nearly 60 airports nationwide. You can also use it at some stadiums and arenas.

Can you get a Clear+ and TSA Pre-Check membership?

Travelers now have the option to bundle their CLEAR+ and TSA PreCheck enrollments. When you bundle your enrollment, you get your one-year CLEAR+ membership and five years of TSA PreCheck, essentially saving you $79.95.

Clear+ will help you skip the airport security lines, with a concierge escorting you to the front of the line and TSA PreCheck helps you get through security lines without removing your shoes, taking out your laptop, and lets you leave your TSA-approved liquids in your bag. You can also leave on your belt and light jackets.

What’s better: TSA PreCheck or Clear?

As a travel writer, I take about four to six flights a month. I’ve found it worth it to have both CLEAR+ and TSA PreCheck because I can usually get through security (even in the busiest airports) in under 5 minutes. Luckily, I get CLEAR+ for free essentially because it’s a statement credit on my American Express Platinum Card.

Coupled with Clear, you can really move through security because in addition to not having to take off your shoes or remove your laptop from your bag, there’s a good chance you’ll be in the shortest possible line.

However, one thing I’ve noticed: In some busy airports (including Denver International Airport, which I fly out of most frequently), the CLEAR+ line is sometimes longer than the TSA PreCheck line, so I skip it and just go through TSA PreCheck.

But if you don’t have TSA PreCheck, and just a Clear membership, you’ll still have to go through a standard TSA screening.

The takeaway: If you’re deciding between TSA PreCheck or Clear+ or you’re trying to decide if both are worth it, here’s some things to take into consideration:

• Does your credit card or airline offer discounts for Clear+ memberships?

• Are you usually pressed for time? Do you tend to cut it close getting to the airport?
  If so, having both may buy you peace of mind, especially at airports where Clear lanes tend to run faster than standard or PreCheck lines.

• Who are you traveling with? If you often travel with family or companions who don’t have Clear+ or TSA PreCheck, your benefit may be limited unless they also enroll. Clear+ allows you to add family members at a discount. Children 12 and under are automatically allowed in the TSA PreCheck lane when traveling with their parent or guardian who has TSA PreCheck on their boarding pass.

How to Choose TSA Pre-Check Vs. Clear Vs. Global Entry?

If you’re a frequent traveler and your trips take you abroad, you may want to consider Global Entry instead of the standard TSA PreCheck program.

It makes financial sense: is $120 for five years, and it includes expedited screening at customs in addition to . So that means for $60 more than a TSA PreCheck membership, you’ll get expedited security screening and you’ll move through customs quicker, which comes in handy when you’ve got a tight connection and customs lines are super long.

You need a passport to apply for Global Entry.

A downside of Global Entry is there are fewer enrollment centers than there are TSA PreCheck enrollment spots, and they are mostly found in airports, including SFO. You can find Global Entry enrollment centers .

The Bottom Line

If you’re a frequent traveler, enrolling in multiple programs — Clear+, Global Entry, and TSA PreCheck can save you lots of time at the airport and make your travel days smoother, especially during the busy holiday travel season.