Much to the delight of frequent air travelers, private trusted-travelers program Clear is expanding quickly, resulting in more security shortcuts at major airports around the country.
The program, which uses fingerprint and iris identification technology to confirm a member's identity, allows travelers to bypass the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) ID-check line and head straight to the metal detectors and bag scanners at the screening line.
Clear lanes debuted at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in December 2016.
Just last month, though, the company opened lanes at New York's LaGuardia Airport and is already expanding there.
It has also launched at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and plans to have the program implemented at Los Angeles International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by the end of the first quarter of 2017.
Meanwhile, Clear already has biometric ID machines installed at airports from coast to coast, including Austin, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, White Plains, Orlando, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington D.C.
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An annual membership for Clear costs $179 but new members get their first month free as a trial period, according to USA Today. Because of a partnership with Delta Air Lines, select SkyMiles members can receive a free or discounted membership in Clear.
Travelers will still have to enroll separately in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry in order to gain access to expedited TSA screening at airports.
In a statement last month, Clear CEO Caryn Seidman Becker said the company's milestone "is a significant step toward fundamentally changing and improving the travel experience throughout the country."
Travelers interested in signing up for Clear can begin the process online and visit on of the company's locations without an appointment. With a valid ID members can complete enrollment in minutes.
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