What is the CLEAR airport controversy?

CLEAR, which allows airline passengers to pay to be whisked through airport security checkpoints, is under increasing scrutiny from lawmakers following two previously unreported security incidents — including one where someone was able to go through security using a boarding pass they'd fished out of the trash.



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Verification Process In total, the TSA raised concerns about almost 49,000 Clear customers who were enrolled despite facial-recognition software flagging them as non-matches, and concluded its broader methods were inherently inferior to how the government checks travelers' IDs, the people said.

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Our members trust us to provide frictionless experiences, to keep your data safe and to protect your privacy, and we're obsessed with delivering on that promise. Importantly, we will never sell or rent your personal information.

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The company said it was not able to negotiate a deal with its creditors. Late Monday, its Clear fast-lane security check service stopped operations abruptly. Some members received e-mail messages about the closing, while others found out at the airport when they discovered Clear lanes were cordoned off.

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That said, Clear has never had a profit. It listed losses of $9 million in 2020, and $13.1 million in the three months ending March 31.

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In 2010, Caryn and Ken Cornick acquired CLEAR out of bankruptcy and have grown it into a global company with 50+ airport locations, hundreds of partners, and more than 16 million verified users nationwide. Ken Cornick is the President, CFO, and Co-Founder of CLEAR.

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Clear is an expedited security program available at 53 U.S. airports, as well as stadiums and other large venues, with more than 14 million members nationwide.

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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.

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Yes! Members can bring one (1) adult guest through the CLEAR Lane per day at stadiums and venues. Children under 18 don't need a membership and can go through the Lane when accompanied by an adult.

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Which credit cards offer CLEAR for free? Currently, the credit cards that offer a complimentary annual CLEAR Plus membership are the Amex Platinum card, Amex Business Platinum card, American Express® Green Card, and Centurion® Card from American Express. Is CLEAR the same as TSA PreCheck?

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Approvals typically take 3-5 days, but may take up to 60 days. CLEAR Plus¹ is a paid annual membership that verifies your identity using your eyes or fingerprints at airport security. Enroll in minutes and start using your CLEAR Plus Membership right away at 50+ locations nationwide.

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Enroll in TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or Clear to make your way through faster. With TSA PreCheck, you keep on your shoes, belt, and light jackets while going through security. Around 200 airlines participate in the program, as well as 85 airports, so if you travel often, it's worth the $70 to $80 annual fee.

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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.

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