Free CLEAR Plus: Credit Cards and Airline Status in 2026

TL;DR

Most people paying full price for CLEAR Plus don’t need to. American Express Platinum and Green cardholders get up to $199 back as a statement credit. Delta Diamond Medallion and United Premier 1K members get it completely free. Every other path — lower airline status tiers, partner programs — still cuts the price meaningfully. Check before you pay.

At a glance

Path to free or discounted CLEAR	Annual cost
Standard CLEAR Plus	$209/year
Amex Platinum (after $199 credit)	~$10/year
Amex Green (after $199 credit)	~$10/year
Delta Diamond Medallion	Free
United Premier 1K	Free
Delta Platinum Medallion	$109/year
Delta Gold Medallion	$129/year
Delta Silver Medallion	$179/year
United Premier Platinum	~$189/year
United Premier Gold / Silver	~$199/year

Pricing as of April 2026 per alclear.com and partner program pages. Confirm before enrolling — airline and card benefit terms change annually.

Why the discount landscape matters

CLEAR Plus costs $209 per year at the standard rate. That’s more than double the cost of a five-year TSA PreCheck membership on a per-year basis. But CLEAR has built an unusually wide network of discount and reimbursement paths through credit card partnerships and airline loyalty programs.

The result is that many frequent travelers — particularly those who hold a premium travel card or carry mid-to-high airline status — are eligible to pay a fraction of the rack rate or nothing at all. The problem is that these discounts are scattered across card benefits portals and airline loyalty dashboards, and CLEAR doesn’t exactly advertise them loudly at enrollment.

This article maps every current discount path so you can claim yours before paying full price.

American Express Platinum: the broadest discount path

The most widely applicable discount comes from the American Express Platinum card. Platinum cardholders receive an annual statement credit of up to $199 toward CLEAR Plus membership fees. The credit applies automatically — when you charge CLEAR Plus to your Amex Platinum card, the $199 credit posts to your statement within a few billing cycles. No coupon code, no manual submission.

With CLEAR Plus at $209, you pay $10 out of pocket after the credit. For most Amex Platinum holders who travel regularly, that’s essentially free.

A few mechanics worth knowing:

• The $199 credit is a calendar-year benefit, not a membership-year benefit. If you enroll or renew in the same calendar year, the credit applies once per year.
• The credit applies to your initial enrollment fee and to your renewal. Make sure you’re renewing the membership before the calendar year ends to capture the credit.
• Pay with the Amex Platinum card specifically, not a different card in your wallet. Using a different card means the credit doesn’t apply.
• If your Amex Platinum is a corporate card or a supplementary card on someone else’s account, check whether the benefit extends to your card. Benefit availability can vary.

American Express Green card

Amex Green cardholders also receive a CLEAR Plus statement credit — up to $199 per year. The mechanics work the same way: pay for CLEAR with your Amex Green card and the credit posts automatically. This brings CLEAR Plus to roughly $10/year for Green cardholders as well.

The Amex Green is a lower-fee card than the Platinum, making it worth checking if you hold one and weren’t aware of this benefit. Verify current benefit terms in your Amex account at the time you plan to enroll, as annual benefit refresh cycles can adjust credit amounts.

Delta SkyMiles status discounts

Delta has a longstanding partnership with CLEAR that offers tiered pricing based on SkyMiles Medallion status. The discounts are significant at the upper tiers:

Delta Medallion status	CLEAR Plus annual price
Silver Medallion	$179/year
Gold Medallion	$129/year
Platinum Medallion	$109/year
Diamond Medallion	Free

Delta Diamond Medallion members — the top elite tier — receive CLEAR Plus at no cost. This is a full complimentary membership, not a credit or reimbursement.

To access your discount: log into the CLEAR app or the CLEAR enrollment page and link your SkyMiles number when prompted. The discount should apply automatically once your status is verified. If it doesn’t appear, contact CLEAR member support and have your SkyMiles number ready.

The discount applies at initial enrollment and at annual renewal. If you’re renewing and your status has changed since last year, the current year’s status applies.

United MileagePlus status discounts

United MileagePlus Premier members also receive CLEAR discounts, structured differently from Delta’s:

• Premier 1K: CLEAR Plus free (complimentary)
• Premier Platinum: approximately $189/year
• Premier Gold: approximately $199/year
• Premier Silver: approximately $199/year

Premier 1K is United’s top-tier status and qualifies for a fully complimentary CLEAR Plus membership — comparable to Delta Diamond. The discounts at lower tiers are more modest.

Check your United MileagePlus account or the CLEAR enrollment page when logged into your MileagePlus account for your current pricing. United periodically updates its partner pricing, so the exact figures at lower tiers can shift between enrollment periods.

Hawaiian Airlines partnership

Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles members have access to discounted CLEAR membership rates through a CLEAR partnership. The discount is available at enrollment and renewal. Log into your HawaiianMiles account or use the CLEAR enrollment page to check your current partner discount before paying the standard rate.

How family pricing interacts with these discounts

The base membership (one individual) is what the discounts above apply to. Family Plan pricing adds $70 per year per additional adult on top of the primary membership. Children under 18 are always free with an enrolled parent.

Here’s how family math works at different discount levels:

• Amex Platinum household (two cards): If each adult independently holds an Amex Platinum, each can use their $199 credit toward their own membership. Adult 1 enrolls as primary ($209 - $199 = $10). Adult 2 enrolls as their own primary member ($209 - $199 = $10). Total for two adults: $20/year.
• One Amex Platinum + Family Plan: Primary member pays $209 - $199 = $10. Spouse is added as Family Plan member for $70/year. Total: $80/year for two adults.
• Delta Diamond + spouse: Diamond member gets free primary membership. Adding a spouse under the Family Plan costs $70/year. Total: $70/year for two adults.
• No discount + Family Plan: $209 (primary) + $70 (one additional adult) + $70 (second additional adult) = $349/year for three adults.

Kids under 18 use the parent’s enrolled account in-lane. They do not need their own membership or their own biometric enrollment — they simply go through the CLEAR lane with you.

How to add family members at enrollment

During CLEAR enrollment, after completing your own biometric enrollment at an airport pod or via the CLEAR app, you’ll be prompted to add family members. You can:

1. Add them during your initial enrollment session if they’re present at the airport pod
2. Add them later through the CLEAR app — your added family member will need to complete their own biometric enrollment at an airport pod before they can use the lanes

In-person pod enrollment is required for all new members, including family add-ons. The biometric scan (iris or fingerprint) must be done at a CLEAR kiosk — it can’t be done remotely.

Stacking discounts: what works and what doesn’t

You generally cannot combine multiple discount sources for a single membership. If you have both Delta Diamond status and an Amex Platinum card, you pick the better deal — you don’t stack them.

What you can do: apply one benefit to the primary member and a different benefit to a family add-on, if both adults independently hold qualifying cards or status. Two adults, two separate eligible discount sources = lowest possible total cost.

Common pitfalls

• Missing the Amex calendar-year window. The $199 credit is annual. If you pay for CLEAR in December 2026 and don’t renew until January 2028, you’ve skipped a year of credits. Align renewal timing with your calendar year.
• Paying with the wrong card. The credit applies only when you charge CLEAR Plus to the qualifying Amex card. Using a different card by habit means the credit doesn’t apply.
• Not linking your airline loyalty number at enrollment. Status discounts don’t apply retroactively to an already-paid membership. Always link your SkyMiles or MileagePlus number at the time of enrollment or before billing.
• Assuming partner discounts auto-apply. With some airline programs, you need to initiate enrollment through the partner link in your airline account — not directly through the CLEAR website — to capture the discount.
• Paying full price for a Family Plan add-on when the add-on has their own card. If your spouse independently holds an Amex Platinum, they may be better off enrolling as a separate primary member and using their own $199 credit.

What to do next

Before enrolling in CLEAR at the standard rate, check:

1. Your Amex card benefits portal — Platinum and Green both offer up to $199/year
2. Your Delta SkyMiles status level and the CLEAR discount page within Delta.com
3. Your United MileagePlus account for Premier 1K or other tier discounts
4. Any other premium travel cards you hold for CLEAR credits in the benefits section

If you’re evaluating whether CLEAR is worth adding to your travel stack at all, our CLEAR vs PreCheck article walks through when the two complement each other and when one is enough.

Ready to sort your full trusted-traveler setup? We handle TSA PreCheck and Global Entry applications end to end — eligibility check, form prep, and tracking. Start your PreCheck or Global Entry application and let us handle the paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

Does Amex Platinum cover CLEAR Plus completely?

It covers up to $199 of the $209 annual fee. You pay $10 out of pocket after the statement credit. The credit applies automatically when you charge CLEAR Plus to your Amex Platinum — no manual claim needed.

Which Delta status tier gets CLEAR Plus free?

Delta Diamond Medallion members receive CLEAR Plus at no charge. Silver pays $179/year, Gold pays $129/year, and Platinum pays $109/year.

Does United MileagePlus offer free CLEAR?

United Premier 1K members receive CLEAR Plus free. Premier Platinum members pay approximately $189/year. Lower tiers receive more modest discounts. Check your MileagePlus account for your current offer.

Can both spouses use separate Amex credits?

Yes. If each adult independently holds an Amex Platinum or Green, each can apply their own $199 credit to their individual CLEAR membership, bringing each to approximately $10/year.

Does the Amex Green card also cover CLEAR?

Yes. Amex Green cardholders receive a statement credit of up to $199/year toward CLEAR Plus — the same amount as Amex Platinum. Verify current terms in your Amex benefits portal before enrolling.

What happens to my CLEAR discount if my airline status drops?

At renewal, the discount that applies is based on your current status at renewal time. If your status dropped since last year, your renewal price will reflect the lower (or no) discount tier. Consider timing your renewal to fall within your higher-status window if possible.

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Sources: CLEAR membership and pricing, TSA PreCheck overview.