Given all that has happened at airports this year, you might be wondering whether getting a Clear membership would be helpful. We’re here with some good news.
TPG now has a special offer for Clear+: $40 off your first year of membership and a free booking of Clear Concierge, valued at $99 (you know, Clear’s premium add-on service that saved me a massive amount of time in line when Transportation Security Administration lines were falling into disarray).
What is Clear — and just how good is the Clear special offer from TPG?
Clear+ is a paid airport membership service that gives members access to designated Clear+ lanes at 60 airports nationwide.
Clear+ is not the same as TSA PreCheck, and some people like to have both. You can use the Clear+ lane to reach the front of the TSA PreCheck line quickly, and then use the TSA PreCheck membership to enjoy all the security process perks (such as keeping your shoes on your feet and your laptop in your bag).
I’ve had a Clear membership for many years, and I don’t always need it if the TSA PreCheck lane is short. However, it has saved me a ton of time in airport lines on a few occasions — and nowadays, there’s just no guarantee how crowded security will be.
Clear even launched new “e-gates” that you’ll now find in dozens of airports, and you can sometimes pass through them in a matter of seconds.
Clear normally costs $209 per year, but TPG’s new special offer knocks $40 off that price for the first year, bringing it down to $169. This is one of the biggest publicly available discounts I’ve seen recently, and it matches the discounts that many United Airlines and Delta Air Lines elite travelers receive.
But, luckily, no airline elite status is required to use TPG’s offer.
As a family traveler myself, it’s worth noting that kids under 18 can join your Clear+ membership for free. You can add other adults at a discounted rate of $125 per person, per year, up to a maximum of three additional adults on your membership.
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It’s also worth mentioning that some cards provide a statement credit of up to $209 per year to offset the cost of Clear+, meaning many travelers may effectively pay little to nothing out of pocket for the membership if they use the right card. Options include:
*Enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal.
The information for the Centurion and Amex Green cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
What is Clear Concierge — and how good of a deal is trying out a free booking?
So if Clear+ allows you to access the Clear+ line and hopefully get to the front of the TSA security screening process faster (usually without having to pull out your ID), then what is Clear Concierge?
Clear Concierge Express is available to Clear+ members and is basically the VIP version of Clear: A staff member will meet you and escort you directly through the Clear+ lane. So, even if there are dozens of people waiting in the Clear+ line, your Clear Concierge ambassador brings you directly through, and you don’t have to wait behind the rest of the line.
Related: What it was like using Clear Conceierge for $99
And that’s just the table stakes for Clear Concierge Express Service, as more is included if you book the Clear Concierge Gate Service.
Clear Concierge Gate Service also includes a direct escort through the Clear line, assistance with your bags and check-in, and a guide who will bring your group all the way through security and to the gate or an airport lounge. While I haven’t used that gate service myself, I can see it being very useful for those traveling with a number of kids, or for some older or less mobile travelers who may need help with bags or who aren’t very familiar with a given airport.
Normally, the Clear Concierge Express Service I’ve used starts at $99, and the Clear Concierge Gate Service starts at $179, so TPG’s special offer to get a code for a free booking of Clear Concierge ($99 value) is huge!
Bottom line
If you’re like me and travel enough to want to put every time-saving airport option in your toolkit, you’ll benefit from joining Clear+ (even if you already have PreCheck).
And you can keep the Clear Concierge option in your back pocket for a moment when you really need to ensure a quick trip through security, or when you could use an extra hand all the way to the gate.
If you decide to join Clear+ and want to snag the $40 first-year discount (with a $99 value complimentary Clear Concierge booking included), you can take advantage of TPG’s special Clear offer.
Terms Apply. CLEAR+ Membership renews at $209/year. Family Member accounts renew annually at $125 each per year after the initial term and are billed to the Primary Member account.
