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United Airlines and CLEAR® have a long-running partnership that makes expedited airport (and venue) security more affordable — and sometimes even free. However, United and CLEAR recently devalued this partnership, removing the complimentary membership benefit for Premier 1K members.
If you’re looking to move through the security line faster, here’s how your MileagePlus membership or United credit card can help you save.
Page Contents
What Is CLEAR Plus?
CLEAR is a screening program used at many airports and stadiums. It allows you to speed through the security line by scanning your eyes or fingerprint, which validates your identity. To use CLEAR, you will need to sign up for a CLEAR Plus membership.
You can register either online or at a CLEAR kiosk. However, you must complete your registration at an airport or venue by submitting your eye or fingerprint scans.
Once you have registered and paid for your membership, you can use CLEAR Plus! You will walk up to the CLEAR lane, where a representative will verify your boarding pass or venue tickets. You will then move to a kiosk for the eye or fingerprint scan to validate your identity.
Once complete, you will be brought to the front of the security line and allowed to enter the airport baggage scanning area or the arena for your event.
Related: You Can Now Sign Up for Clear and TSA PreCheck Together
Where can you use CLEAR Plus?
Clear Plus is available at almost 60 airports and nearly 20 stadiums and arenas. This link shows the current list of locations in the U.S. with CLEAR Plus kiosks, but you can also refer to the table below for a complete list of airports that offer the service.
| Airport | City |
|---|---|
| Austin–Bergstrom International Airport | Austin, TX |
| Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport | Baltimore, MD |
| Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport | Birmingham, AL |
| Boise Airport | Boise, ID |
| Boston Logan International Airport | Boston, MA |
| Bradley International Airport | Hartford, CT |
| Buffalo Niagara International Airport | Buffalo, NY |
| Chicago Midway International Airport | Chicago, IL |
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport | Chicago, IL |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport | Northern Kentucky (Cincinnati), OH |
| Cleveland Hopkins International Airport | Cleveland, OH |
| Dallas Love Field Airport | Dallas, TX |
| Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport | Dallas, TX |
| Daniel K. Inouye International Airport | Honolulu, HI |
| Denver International Airport | Denver, CO |
| Detroit Metro Airport | Detroit, MI |
| Dulles International Airport | Washington, D.C. |
| Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport | Houston, TX |
| Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport | Greenville-Spartanburg, SC |
| Harry Reid International Airport | Las Vegas, NV |
| Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport | Atlanta, GA |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport | New York City, NY |
| John Glenn Columbus International Airport | Columbus, OH |
| Kahului Airport | Maui, HI |
| Kansas City International Airport | Kansas City, MO |
| LaGuardia Airport | New York City, NY |
| Long Beach Airport | Long Beach, CA |
| Los Angeles International Airport | Los Angeles, CA |
| Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport | New Orleans, LA |
| Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport | San Juan, PR |
| Miami International Airport | Miami, FL |
| Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport | Milwaukee, WI |
| Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport | Minneapolis, MN |
| Nashville International Airport | Nashville, TN |
| Newark Liberty International Airport | Newark, NJ |
| Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport | San Jose, CA |
| Oakland International Airport | Oakland, CA |
| Ontario International Airport | Ontario, CA |
| Orlando International Airport | Orlando, FL |
| Palm Beach International Airport | Palm Beach, FL |
| Palm Springs International Airport | Palm Springs, CA |
| Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | Phoenix, AZ |
| Pittsburgh International Airport | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Raleigh-Durham International Airport | Raleigh, NC |
| Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport | Warwick (Providence), RI |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | Washington, D.C. |
| Sacramento International Airport | Sacramento, CA |
| Salt Lake City International Airport | Salt Lake City, UT |
| San Antonio International Airport | San Antonio, TX |
| San Diego International Airport | San Diego, CA |
| San Francisco International Airport | San Francisco, CA |
| Seattle-Tacoma International Airport | Seattle, WA |
| St. Louis Lambert International Airport | St. Louis, MO |
| Tulsa International Airport | Tulsa, OK |
| Westchester County Airport | New York City, NY |
| Will Rogers World Airport | Oklahoma City, OK |
| William P. Hobby Airport | Houston, TX |
How much is CLEAR Plus?
A CLEAR Plus membership costs $199 a year. The primary CLEAR Plus member can add up to three adult family members to their plan at $119 each. Additionally, if the primary member has a family member under 18, that family member can go through the CLEAR Plus lane for free.
But if you're a United MileagePlus member or a United credit card holder, you can get a CLEAR Plus membership with a nice discount or even for free.
Get a CLEAR Plus Membership Discount as a MileagePlus Member or a United Credit Card Holder
Belonging to the United MileagePlus program or carrying a United credit card can help reduce or even eliminate the cost of a CLEAR Plus membership. And yes, you can enjoy discounts — even if you don't have MileagePlus elite status or carry United's no-annual-fee credit card.
General MileagePlus members
If you are a general United MileagePlus member, you can receive a $10 reduction in your CLEAR Plus fee, bringing your annual payout to $189. A 5% discount is modest, but that's better than no discount.
United Premier status and United credit cardholders
The savings shine a little brighter if you have United Premier status or carry a United credit card. If you have Premier Platinum, Gold, or Silver status with United — or have an eligible United card — you'll pay $159 each year you renew.
Examples of some United credit cards that this discount extends to include:
- The New United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
- The New United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees)
- The New United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees)
- The New United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
- The New United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
- 2X miles per $1 spent on purchases from United®
- 2X miles per $1 spent on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 5 miles per $1 spent at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants
- 2 miles per $1 spent on select streaming services
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 2x on United® purchases
- 2x on local transit and commuting — including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services
- 2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores
- 1x on all other purchases
Premier 1K Members
Until May 1, 2025, Premier 1K members received a complimentary CLEAR Plus membership. However, as of May 1, 2025, Premier 1K members now need to pay $129 per year to renew.
If you already have a complimentary membership, you can continue using it until your renewal date. After that, you’ll be charged $129 for the next year.
Global Services Members
United will cover the entire CLEAR Plus membership if you are a Global Services member. That's right; you pay $0 for this service as long as you have United's top status level when your CLEAR Plus membership is initially set or renewed.
How to enroll for CLEAR with a United MileagePlus discount
Enrolling in a CLEAR Plus membership and scoring your United credit card or MileagePlus membership discount is quick and easy. Click here to visit the promotion landing page, tap “Enroll Now,” and walk through the steps to verify your United credentials.
It's worth noting that these discounts stack with the statement credits eligible American Express cards offer towards the cost of a CLEAR Plus membership. (Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.) Paying with the right card could mean discounting the sticker price even further, and giving you some breathing room to add a family member for less than $119. You can learn more about these cards (plus other CLEAR-related promotions) in this post here.
Final Thoughts
If you fly with United and belong to the MileagePlus program or have a United credit card, you can get a discounted or complimentary CLEAR Plus membership. CLEAR Plus allows you to bypass the security line at many airports and venues, getting you to your destination or event much faster!
- Limited-Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles
- 0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases & no annual fee.
- 2x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
- Earn 2 checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The New United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees), The New United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), The New United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees), The New United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and The New United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Yeah, I like the CLEAR system and UX but the price point is too high. It needs to half to be worth it for me. And if they expand like they seem to be they can afford to drop the price so fingers crossed.
Clear is amazing! I have been using It for delta flights ever since it was rolled out and it really makes the lines so much shorter
Glad to see united moving ahead with clear as well!
A great way to get through lines at the airport. I have TSA pre-check, but have found many colleagues using Clear to get through the lines and home, especially flying out of La Guardia in NYC.
Even at $109 for having status still not saving a ton of time at IAD. Never seen the TSA precheck line at more than a 10-15 people in line max. I’m sure it has been worse at some times, but really don’t see the need for Clear in most circumstances.
Clear plus TSA-Pre is really fast and I definitely recommend it. The cost is quite reasonable if you fly a lot (or travel with someone who likes to get to the airport late). Since TSA Pre comes with Global Entry, I recommend both. I discovered (or rather was told I qualified for) the United discount when I called Clear to pay for my renewal. Good customer service.
I’ve already used & have been onboard with CLEAR. It was a small blessing for me. It’s worthwhile.
I also am happy with my TSA PreCheck as my trip last week was quick both in and out. I personally don’t have much interest in Clear.
I keep wanting to try CLEAR but its too expensive. I wonder if TSA or CLEAR is faster. Since CLEAR isn’t at every airport, I would think that TSA is the better option. I have seen that at some airport security is better. I’m hoping that it gets better with security. TSA is different at every airport and that’s very frustrating.
Nice that there is a discount for almost anyone that belongs to those frequent flyer programs. It makes it almost worthwhile, even for those who don’t habitually travel through CLEAR airports. I might actually try it.
If everyone signs up for this, the premium line would be just as slow
Overall i guess this is a good development. However, i think Clear should now just set their price to 119 per year. This 179 per year is just a fad as virtually anyone can get the 119 pricing by either being a united or delta member.
Good to know there are alternatives to the standard TSA lines.
I prefer the old kind of fast lane, with a person checking your id, rather than a biometric scan. But it looks like the trend everywhere is to reduce the number of staff members and replace them with self-serve kiosks.
Is clear really worth paying for (unless you have the United status tat gives it free) when you can get Precheck and Global Entry free with multiple credit cards?
Since I had MileagePlus card, United paid for me to join TSA Pre for the next five years. That works well. Is Clear clearly better?
I see what you did there 🙂 Not clearly better. Just a hedge against long TSA Pre lines, but YMMV.
The NEXUS program, for $50, gets you access to the expedited line too. Not worth it in my opinion.
I’ve been perfectly happy with TSA Pre-check 95% of the time, so I’m not super enthusiastic about CLEAR.
Is there any benefit to Clear if you have TSA Precheck?
Sometimes the Clear lines are shorter. Some will get extra value out of having both, but it may not be worth the cost if you don’t get free CLEAR as an elite.
This is good news. Anything that helps minimize the pain of airport security while still not compromising safety is a good thing.
Thanks for striking the right balance and not just complaining about security lines! 🙂 Although they are certainly thoroughly frustrating at times, mostly due to staffing issues, if you take a moment, you can find the right perspective on this.
I wonder why American Airlines is resisting working with CLEAR. Do they have a good reason or business case for not working with them?
Very creative… to copy Delta about 2-3 years later.
Why don’t United just do the mile bonus with both Lyft and Uber instead? I would use that promo more.
It’s not only a promo tie in: both UA and DL took ownership stakes in Clear. It seems like a possible outcome is for it to become entirely driven by airline partnerships.
If I already have global entry isn’t Clear redundant?
Sometimes the Clear lines are shorter. Some will get extra value out of having both, but it may not be worth the cost if you don’t get free CLEAR as an elite.
Awesome! I love anything that would help ease the hassle of flying!
CLEAR has definitely made our way through the security lines much faster! Glad to see more ways to get free/discounted memberships.
Hmm I’m not sure why anyone would use CLEAR when TSA-Pre sounds so much better.
Am I missing something?
My bad, with Clear you actually skip the interaction with the agent all together. So with Clear + Pre-check you skip the first part of security and have a faster time in the second.
This is good news obviously. But I swear one day the other programs (Pre, GE, Clear) will eventually be as crowded as the standard lines. Though obviously even then there are perks that make it faster, I know.
I wish one of the premium cards would include clear. Having multiple premium cards and nothing to do with all the GE credits is a bummer!
It’s nice that United is giving a free or discounted membership.
Even though the home airport I use the most (ONT) does not have Clear, I could not recommend it more, especially at the discount United is offering. Since Clear is mostly in busier airports, it really does save a tremendous amount of time, especially, if, you also have pre-check.
Any CLEAR discount for United Explorer Plus cardholders?