Clear+ hikes fee again—July 1 jump hits travelers

Clear+ annual – Clear+ members get a July 1 price bump: the annual fee rises from $209 to $219 for the second consecutive year. Amex Platinum cardholders will see their Clear reimbursement increase to up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year, while new members can us

By the time the month of July arrives, one of airport travelers’ favorite shortcuts is getting pricier.

Effective July 1. Clear+—the program that lets members skip the main Transportation Security Administration lines by completing a quick photo at a kiosk before moving to baggage scanners—will raise its annual membership fee from $209 to $219. It’s the second year in a row the company has increased the price, adding another $10.

Clear+ is available at dozens of major U.S. airports and can also be used at a handful of major sporting and concert venues. For frequent flyers chasing every minute at the checkpoint, the math was already tight. Now. it’s tighter still: the new $219 annual cost represents nearly a 5% jump from the past year. and a 10% increase from what members were paying just over a year ago.

The pricing still includes a way to expand coverage inside a household. Members can add up to three adults to their account for $125 annually, a perk that is unchanged from last year.

If you’re paying out of pocket, the increase may feel like a reminder that “saving time” can come with a growing monthly bill. But travelers aren’t entirely locked into the full, higher fee.

American Express Platinum cardholders have historically been able to recoup their Clear dues as part of the card’s benefits. On Wednesday. the issuer confirmed it would increase the Clear credit for cardholders to up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year. The benefit is subject to auto-renewal and enrollment required. and it applies to members who use their card to purchase an annual Clear+ membership. Logging in Wednesday morning, the changes had already started to appear in an Amex Platinum account.

For those who don’t have Amex Platinum. there’s another route to reduce the hit—at least for new members. As of July 1, TPG readers who join Clear+ can get $50 off their first year of membership. They’ll also receive a free Clear Concierge booking valued at $99. The offer is limited-time and for new Clear+ members only.

Clear Concierge is designed to help when TSA wait times stretch out. TPG’s Summer Hull previously said the program saved her four hours in line earlier this spring during a government shutdown when TSA wait times were hours long.

There’s also another group that may pay less. Elite status flyers with Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines (plus Hawaiian Airlines) are eligible for discounted rates.

A Clear spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

For travelers weighing whether the convenience still justifies the cost. the bottom line is straightforward: if you pay the Clear+ membership fee yourself. the second straight year of hikes will likely disappoint. But there are still ways to offset the higher price—through Amex Platinum statement credits. the July 1 new-member discount. or eligible discounted rates tied to airline elite status.

Clear+ Clear+ membership fee TSA airport security Amex Platinum Clear reimbursement statement credits Clear Concierge July 1 price increase Delta United Alaska Hawaiian