CLEAR Plus Cost in 2026: Hidden Discounts and Free Options
CLEAR Plus costs $209/year at the base rate — but most travelers can pay far less. Here are every discount, free path, and credit card reimbursement available in 2026.
TL;DR
CLEAR Plus has a standard price of $209 per year, but very few people need to pay that. Amex Platinum cardholders get up to $199 back as a statement credit. Delta Diamond Medallion members get it free. Other airline status tiers, United MileagePlus discounts, and employer programs can cut the price significantly. If you’re paying full price, you’ve probably missed a discount.
At a glance
| Membership tier | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| CLEAR Plus (standard) | $209/year |
| Family Plan (per additional adult) | +$70/year |
| Children under 18 | Free (with enrolled parent) |
| Delta Silver Medallion | $179/year |
| Delta Gold Medallion | $129/year |
| Delta Platinum Medallion | $109/year |
| Delta Diamond Medallion | $0/year (free) |
| Amex Platinum (after $199 credit) | ~$10/year out of pocket |
Prices listed as of April 2026 per alclear.com. Confirm current pricing before enrolling.
What CLEAR Plus actually does
CLEAR Plus is a biometric identity verification service that operates at 50+ U.S. airports and dozens of stadiums and venues. At the airport, the typical flow is:
- You walk up to a CLEAR kiosk (usually a dedicated pod near the security entrance).
- A CLEAR ambassador scans your eyes or fingerprints.
- Your identity is confirmed in seconds — no need to show your physical ID or boarding pass.
- You’re escorted to the front of the TSA ID-check line (or directly to the PreCheck lane if you’re enrolled in both).
CLEAR does not replace TSA screening. It replaces the identity-verification step. You still go through the X-ray and body scanner. If you also have TSA PreCheck, CLEAR gets you to the front of the faster PreCheck lane — which is where most of the time savings happen.
CLEAR also works at stadiums (NFL, MLB, NHL, and others) for ticketing and age verification, though that’s a secondary benefit for most members.
The full breakdown of CLEAR Plus pricing
Standard membership
The base price for a CLEAR Plus individual membership is $209 per year as listed on alclear.com. CLEAR also offers a free trial — typically 2–3 months — so you can test it before committing.
Family Plan
Each additional adult family member costs $70 per year on top of the primary membership. Children under 18 always enroll for free when accompanied by an enrolled parent. So two adults with CLEAR Plus would pay $209 + $70 = $279/year at the standard rate.
Delta SkyMiles status discounts
Delta SkyMiles Medallion members get significant discounts through CLEAR’s partnership with Delta:
| Delta status | CLEAR Plus price |
|---|---|
| Silver Medallion | $179/year |
| Gold Medallion | $129/year |
| Platinum Medallion | $109/year |
| Diamond Medallion | Free |
To claim your discount, log into your Delta account or the CLEAR app and link your SkyMiles number. The discount applies at enrollment and at renewal.
United MileagePlus discounts
United MileagePlus members also receive CLEAR discounts, though the tier structure differs from Delta’s. MileagePlus Premier members can often access pricing in the $109–$149 range. Check your United account or the CLEAR enrollment page for your current offer, as discount levels are periodically updated.
American Express Platinum reimbursement
This is the most broadly available way to effectively get CLEAR Plus at no cost.
American Express Platinum cardholders receive up to $199 per year as a statement credit on CLEAR Plus membership fees. Since CLEAR Plus costs $209, you’d pay $10 out of pocket per year after the credit. The credit is applied automatically when you pay for CLEAR Plus with your Amex Platinum — no manual rebate required.
This effectively makes CLEAR Plus free for the approximately 3 million U.S. Amex Platinum cardholders who fly regularly. Check your Amex benefits portal to confirm the credit is active on your specific card version.
Other credit cards with CLEAR benefits
Beyond Amex Platinum, a handful of other premium travel cards offer CLEAR credits or partial reimbursements. Check the benefits section of any premium card you hold before paying out of pocket. Benefit structures change annually during card benefit refresh cycles, so verify current terms before enrolling.
Employer benefits
A growing number of large employers — particularly in finance, consulting, and tech — include CLEAR Plus as part of their travel benefit packages. Check your company’s benefits portal or ask HR before paying personally.
Stacking CLEAR with PreCheck: when does it make sense?
CLEAR and TSA PreCheck solve adjacent problems. Here’s the honest comparison:
| CLEAR Plus | TSA PreCheck | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Skips ID-check line | Speeds up security screening |
| Annual cost | $209 (standard) | ~$15.60/year ($78 / 5 years) |
| Works at | 50+ airports | 200+ airports |
| Children | Free under 18 | Children 12 and under go free with enrolled parent |
| Best for | Busy hub airports | All PreCheck-equipped airports |
For casual travelers — say, 4–8 flights per year — PreCheck alone at $78 for five years is almost always the better first investment. The PreCheck lane is substantially faster than standard security, and it works at far more airports than CLEAR does.
For frequent travelers who live in hub cities (Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle) where CLEAR kiosks are installed, stacking both makes more sense. CLEAR routes you directly to the PreCheck lane and you skip the ID line entirely.
If you have to choose one, start with PreCheck. Then add CLEAR once you’re flying often enough that airport friction actually costs you meaningful time.
The KTN you receive when you enroll in PreCheck travels with you for five years. A full breakdown of PreCheck costs and enrollment options is in our TSA PreCheck cost guide.
Is CLEAR Plus worth it?
Honest answer: it depends on your airport and your frequency.
Worth it if:
- You fly 15+ times per year through CLEAR-equipped airports
- You have Delta Diamond status (it’s free)
- You hold an Amex Platinum (out of pocket is $10/year)
- You consistently fly through busy hubs during peak hours where the ID-check line is the actual bottleneck
Probably not worth it if:
- You fly under 10 times per year
- You don’t have a credit card or airline status that discounts it
- You primarily fly through smaller regional airports where CLEAR isn’t available
- You don’t already have PreCheck — get that first
CLEAR’s PASSID system links your biometric identity to your boarding pass. Once enrolled, the kiosk experience is genuinely fast — under 30 seconds in most cases. That’s real time saved when you’re at ATL at 7am on a Monday and the ID line is 15 minutes long.
Common pitfalls
- Paying full price without checking your airline status. Even low-tier Delta or United status can save you $30–$100/year. Always check before enrolling.
- Forgetting the Amex Platinum credit. The $199 credit applies automatically, but only if you pay with your Amex Platinum card. Using a different card means you miss the reimbursement.
- Adding family members at full price when discounts apply. If your spouse has Amex Platinum independently, they can use their own $199 credit to cover their $70 add-on — and then some.
- Assuming CLEAR works at every airport. CLEAR is at 50+ airports but not all. Verify your home airport at alclear.com before enrolling.
- Skipping PreCheck and starting with CLEAR. CLEAR without PreCheck means you still go through the full screening lane. Get PreCheck first.
What to do next
If you fly frequently through a CLEAR-equipped airport, check your airline status and credit card benefits before paying a cent. Many travelers find they’ve been eligible for a discount — or a complete reimbursement — and just didn’t know it.
If you’re also looking at trusted-traveler programs more broadly, our clear vs precheck comparison walks through how the two programs fit together and when it’s worth carrying both.
Ready to set up your travel-document stack from scratch? We handle Global Entry and TSA PreCheck applications end to end — eligibility check, form prep, and status tracking. Start your PreCheck or Global Entry application and we’ll walk you through it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does CLEAR Plus cost in 2026?
The standard CLEAR Plus membership is $209 per year, as listed on alclear.com. That’s the rack rate. Most members pay less through airline status discounts, credit card reimbursements, or employer benefits.
Can I get CLEAR Plus for free?
Yes. American Express Platinum cardholders receive a statement credit up to $199 per year for CLEAR Plus, which effectively makes it free after paying the $10 difference. Delta Diamond Medallion members also receive CLEAR Plus at no charge.
Does Delta status get you a discount on CLEAR?
Yes. Delta SkyMiles members receive tiered discounts: Silver Medallion ($179/year), Gold Medallion ($129/year), Platinum Medallion ($109/year), and Diamond Medallion (free, $0/year). Log in to Delta.com or the CLEAR app to redeem.
Is CLEAR worth it if I already have TSA PreCheck?
It depends on how often you fly. TSA PreCheck ($78 for 5 years, or about $15.60/year) typically offers better ROI for travelers who fly fewer than 15–20 times per year. CLEAR gets you to the front of the PreCheck lane, which adds value when airports are busy.
Can I add family members to my CLEAR account?
Yes. CLEAR’s Family Plan costs an additional $70 per adult member. Children under 18 always enroll free. So a couple sharing CLEAR Plus would pay $279/year total at the standard rate.
Does CLEAR work without TSA PreCheck?
Yes, but your experience changes. CLEAR’s biometric ID verification gets you past the ID check quickly. You still go through the standard security screening unless you also have PreCheck. Many frequent travelers carry both.
Sources: CLEAR membership pricing, TSA airport security overview.
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Related reading
CLEAR speeds up the ID line; TSA PreCheck speeds up the security line. Learn how each works, when to stack both, and how to get CLEAR free via Amex or Delta.
TSA PreCheck costs $78 for 5 years — but credit card reimbursements, military waivers, and enrollment-provider discounts can bring the real cost to $0. Full breakdown.
TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry: cost, time, and who each program is for. Plus when getting both makes sense — and how Global Entry includes PreCheck free.