Clear, the membership company that uses people’s data to speed up verification at airports, has announced a new curb-to-gate service it says it hopes will get you to your plane faster.
Clear Ambassador Assist will send a person to meet you when you arrive at the airport, carry your luggage and bring you through security. The service’s two options will take you either from curb to Clear or curb to gate.
Clear is known for using people’s data, such as fingerprints and retinal scans, to allow them to bypass the lines and traditional ID processes at major airports.
The new program launched this September at Denver International Airport, Clear told Travel+Leisure, before expanding to Dulles and Orlando international airports at the end of last month.
A Clear spokesperson told Travel+Leisure the company hopes to expand the service in the coming months.
The service is available only to Clear Plus members, who must book it at least 10 hours in advance of a trip. Clear is currently offering the program for free to travelers leaving Orlando, according to its website.
To book, select your airline, airport and which service option you would like. If wheelchair service or any other accommodations are needed, those must be booked through the airline and Clear’s ambassadors will instead meet you at your airline’s special services counter.
The curb-to gate service starts at $149, with Clear offering the curb-to-Clear option for $49.
Since Clear launched at airports around the country, some have wondered if the program is worth it. According to Nerd Wallet, the program’s $199 annual membership rate can be beneficial if you go on at least 10 round-trip flights every year. However, they suggest you make sure your home airport has Clear, or it will be a waste.
The Los Angeles Times, on the other hand, gives Clear props for its use of biometrics to speed up air travel, but said TSA PreCheck’s cheaper rate may be a better deal.
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