Global Entry expedites your return to the U.S. after international travel while Clear helps you skip the ID check at TSA security lines before domestic or international flights. Clear verifies your identity via a fingerprint or an eye scan.
People Also Ask
TSA PreCheck® provides expedited security screening benefits for flights departing from U.S. Airports. Global Entry provides expedited U.S. customs screening for international air travelers when entering the United States.
The only potential downsides of Global Entry is that it requires fingerprinting and background check and costs $100 every 5 years. Scheduling and completing your Global Entry interview can also be a hassle, which is why taking advantage of Enrollment on Arrival can be wise.
CLEAR is often faster than TSA PreCheck since it lets members verify their identity with biometrics instead of having them stand in line to show identification.
Those with Clear membership only have access to faster security lanes. Without TSA PreCheck, Clear members must still remove their shoes, electronics, liquids and outerwear. But the choice of TSA PreCheck versus Clear doesn't have to be an either-or proposition.
Whether or not Global Entry is worth it will depend on your personal situation. If all your travel is domestic, Global Entry may not fit your needs. But if you have international travel plans within the next five years, Global Entry can save you a lot of time at the airport.
Global Entry is everything that TSA PreCheck is and more. If you have Global Entry, you'll automatically also get TSA PreCheck and all of its benefits. On top of that, you'll get to avoid the general customs line when returning to the U.S. from abroad.
In most cases, Global Entry is a better choice, especially if you travel internationally. Not only does it include TSA PreCheck but it will also expedite your re-entry back into the U.S. when you arrive from abroad.
Key takeaways. A Clear Plus membership costs $189 per year, making it the most expensive of the expedited security options. In comparison, TSA PreCheck costs $85 for five years — and Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck, costs $100 for five years. Clear is available at over 50 airports and stadiums, but not all.
Last year Clear (another U.S.-based security expediting platform that costs $189 per year) acquired virtual queuing company Whyline and has since partnered with airports in North America and Europe to develop a security line reservation system called Reserve by Clear.
We've long espoused the benefits of Global Entry, which lets travelers breeze past the lines at U.S. customs by checking in at a kiosk. But there are limits to its powers: Global Entry only works upon entry into the U.S., and not to any country around the world.
If you already have TSA PreCheck and want to shave off more time, it can be a worthwhile purchase when you use locations that offer CLEAR. Let's say you travel once a month and CLEAR saves you 30 minutes each trip. Roundtrip, you get an extra hour of your time back, adding up to 12 hours saved per year.
Can you use Clear and TSA PreCheck together? Yes. If you're a frequent flier, it might make sense to get Clear so you can zip through identity verification and then get placed on the TSA PreCheck luggage screening line, where you can keep your shoes on, leave your laptop in your bag, and skip the scanner.
Can I become a member of both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR? In short, yes! Since a CLEAR membership expedites the ID-checking part and TSA PreCheck expedites the security line part, you can use the two programs together to make navigating airport security as quick as possible.