CLEAR checks who you are. PreCheck changes how you are screened.
CLEAR and TSA PreCheck are different things. PreCheck changes how you are screened. CLEAR+ speeds up checking who you are. CLEAR+ costs $219 a year, PreCheck is about $16 a year over its five years, and many people pair them. This page shows what each does, what the add-on really costs and who should skip it.
💡
In one line: if you can only get one, TSA PreCheck covers the screening for a fraction of the price. CLEAR+ is an add-on that only helps at airports where CLEAR operates.
$219
a year for CLEAR+, one adult
62
airports with CLEAR+ lanes (150+ lanes)
$125
for each extra adult, up to 3, kids free
99%
of PreCheck passengers wait under 10 minutes, per TSA
🛤️ What each one does at the checkpoint
🛡️ PreCheck only
Show your ID and boarding pass at the travel document checker.
Walk through the PreCheck lane.
Leave electronics and 3-1-1 liquids in your bag, and keep belt, light jacket and shoes on.
Speeds up the screening
👁️ CLEAR+ only
Scan your boarding pass at the CLEAR+ lane.
Verify your face at a CLEAR pod or eGate.
Go to bag screening. This is the regular screening, so shoes, laptops and liquids still come out unless you also have PreCheck.
Speeds up the ID check
⚡ Both together
Scan your boarding pass at the CLEAR+ lane.
Verify at the pod or eGate.
Go to bag screening in the PreCheck way.
CLEAR calls this the fastest way to your gateFastest
CLEAR+ members do not need PreCheck or Global Entry to use CLEAR, and CLEAR’s own FAQ describes the two as separate services that speed up different parts of the checkpoint.
At a CLEAR eGate you scan your boarding pass and verify with your face, then go to bag screening.
💲 What it costs
Cost per year, drawn to scale. PreCheck is $79.75 for five years (IDEMIA new price) divided by 5. CLEAR+ second adult adds $125.
Per year, adding CLEAR+ costs about 14 times what PreCheck does. A second adult adds $125 a year, and children 17 and under are free.
Cost per trip at $219 a year
Round trips a year
🧮 CLEAR+ cost per round trip
4
$54.75
10
$21.90
20
$10.95
40
$5.48
This is our arithmetic on the $219 price, not a CLEAR figure. CLEAR also claims members save about 4 hours a year; that is CLEAR’s own number, so treat it as marketing. The table shows how many trips you need before the price per trip is small.
🔁 The bundle: PreCheck and CLEAR+ together
🆓
TSA lists CLEAR as one of three PreCheck enrollment providers and says you can get TSA PreCheck free when you join CLEAR+ (terms apply).
🔄
Renewing PreCheck through CLEAR? After you finish the online renewal, CLEAR issues a one-time code to join CLEAR+ for $146, which is the CLEAR+ price minus the PreCheck cost. CLEAR’s own PreCheck prices are $72.95 to renew online and $84.95 in person or for a new member.
Worth a look: you fly often from an airport that has CLEAR lanes, you already have PreCheck, and the price per trip in the table above feels small to you.
Worth a look: two adults who travel together often. The second adult is $125 instead of $219, and children are free.
⛔
Probably skip: you fly a few times a year, or mostly from airports without CLEAR lanes. Check CLEAR’s own “Where to use CLEAR” list for your home airport first.
⛔
Not a substitute: CLEAR+ does not replace PreCheck. Without PreCheck you still go through regular bag screening.
You can enroll at a CLEAR enrollment center at the airport with no appointment, or online.
📝 Signing up and the fine print
🪪
You must be 18 or older with a valid government photo ID: a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID, or a U.S. passport. Citizens of some other countries can join with a passport.
🏢
Enroll at an airport enrollment center with no appointment, or start online.
🔁
It renews automatically for the period you signed up for. You can cancel anytime, by account, email or phone.
💵
Refund window: a full refund if you cancel within 14 days of being charged. After 14 days you keep access through the end of the term but get no refund.
👨👩👧
Family plan: the primary member controls renewals; family members must be 18 or older. If the primary member stops paying, the whole family loses paid access.
⚠️ Things people get wrong
❌
Thinking CLEAR+ lets you skip security. It speeds up the ID check; you still get screened.
❌
Buying CLEAR+ before checking your own airport has CLEAR lanes.
❌
Forgetting that CLEAR+ auto-renews. Set a reminder before the 14-day refund window closes.
❌
Believing the older numbers you see on blogs. Third-party sites quote different airport counts and a $209 price; CLEAR’s own page says 62 airports and $219.
❓ Quick answers
Is CLEAR the same as TSA PreCheck?
No. PreCheck is a TSA program that changes how you are screened. CLEAR is a separate paid service that speeds up the identity check, and also one of three PreCheck enrollment providers.
Do I need PreCheck to use CLEAR?
No. CLEAR+ members do not need PreCheck or Global Entry, but without PreCheck you still go through regular bag screening.
How much is CLEAR+?
$219 a year for one adult. Each added adult is $125, up to 3, and children 17 and under are free.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, in full if you cancel within 14 days of being charged. After that you keep access until the term ends with no refund.
Is CLEAR worth it?
It depends on how often you fly from an airport with CLEAR lanes. The cost-per-trip table shows the price per trip at 4, 10, 20 and 40 trips a year.
Does CLEAR work at every airport?
No. CLEAR lists over 150 lanes across 62 airports. Check its Where to use CLEAR page for yours.
Checked October 2026 on the airline’s own website. Rules change; confirm for your ticket before you fly.
