If you recently used Clear at an airport and felt like things went a lot quicker, you’re probably not imagining it. As of this week, Clear has brought quicker, automated “e-gates” to 37 airports across the country.
It’s a more streamlined setup compared to its legacy kiosks — and it’s a notable upgrade to a service meant to expedite passengers’ trips through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
Improving Clear with new tech
In the past, members would enter the Clear area, then peel off to get their identity verified via biometrics at a kiosk off to the side. A Clear staffer would then escort them to the front of the TSA line.
However, the service hasn’t been without pain points.
On plenty of occasions in the past, for instance, I’ve run into backlogs getting to the kiosks, especially if Clear staffers were tied up helping other passengers — most often at major hubs that a lot of other Clear members fly from.
How the Clear e-gates work
The new e-gate setup, which TPG’s Clint Henderson was first to check out last summer, appears to be an improvement. At these airports, Clear passengers can walk right through seamlessly — pausing only for a few seconds while the tech verifies they’re a member via a facial scan. The company touts identity verification in five seconds or less under the new design.
More hubs are set to get this upgrade soon; by the end of 2026, every airport security checkpoint that offers Clear will have e-gates, the company said Wednesday in its latest quarterly earnings report.
These improvements should certainly make the service an even better shortcut in more places.
Reminder: What is Clear?
Clear is a paid service that lets passengers effectively skip the TSA line and jump right to carry-on baggage screening. It’s typically maximized in tandem with TSA PreCheck access.
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How much does Clear cost?
Clear’s flagship airport security service (known as Clear+) costs $209 for an annual membership. But some travel cards will offset the cost. For instance, I get a statement credit of up to $209 each year for my Clear+ membership fee by carrying the American Express Platinum Card®, which has an annual fee of $895 (see rates and fees). Enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal.
Plus, three major U.S. airlines partner with Clear to offer special pricing:
- Delta Air Lines’ Medallion Diamond members and United Airlines’ Premier 1K members get Clear+ for free.
- Delta’s and United’s lower-level elite members can access the service for $169 annually.
- Regular SkyMiles and MileagePlus members pay $199 per year, as do members of Atmos Rewards — the shared loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
Bottom line
Clear only just ramped up the e-gates rollout during the final months of 2025. So the expansion of this tech to more than three dozen airports across the country has certainly come at a rapid pace — with more to come.
We should also note that Clear has gotten some friendly competition from the TSA itself in recent months. The agency is rapidly rolling out its own ultrafast upgrade to TSA PreCheck — known as TSA PreCheck Touchless ID — which is expected to be at more than 60 airports by spring. That program has no extra cost for PreCheck (and Global Entry) members, though you have to opt in via your airline profile.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
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