Checking in at the airport and getting through security used to be one line for everyone. Now there can be three or four lines at the same checkpoint, plus a free app that gets you home faster from international trips, plus separate programs for the Canadian and Mexican borders. The two programs my clients ask about most often are TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, and they are the ones most often confused with each other, so let me put on my travel-advisor hat and explain what each one actually does, what it costs right now, and which is right for you. Then I will walk you through the other trusted traveler programs that almost nobody talks about, including a completely free option.
The Quick Answer (If You Only Read One Section)
TSA PreCheck and CLEAR solve different problems. PreCheck makes the screening process itself easier and faster. CLEAR gets you to the front of the line. They are not interchangeable.
- If you only buy one, get TSA PreCheck, and seriously consider Global Entry instead, since Global Entry includes PreCheck for nearly the same price.
- Get CLEAR Plus on top of PreCheck only if your home airport has consistently long check-in lines, you tend to cut your arrival close, or you can get CLEAR free or discounted through a credit card or airline elite-status benefit.
- Skip both only if you fly once or twice a year through a small, sleepy airport.
What’s New Since This Post Was First Written
Three things have changed enough that the old advice about these programs is outdated:
- The shoes-off rule ended for the general public. The Department of Homeland Security ended the long-standing requirement that all passengers remove their shoes at the security checkpoint. Most travelers can now keep their shoes on at the standard line. PreCheck members had this benefit for years; now it is essentially universal, with some exceptions for random and secondary screening.
- Federal trusted traveler fees were harmonized. Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI all moved to a single $120 application fee for adults. Children under eighteen are now free if a parent or guardian is also a member or applying at the same time, which is a quiet but huge win for families.
- REAL ID enforcement is in full swing. If you do not have a REAL-ID-compliant driver’s license (the one with a small star in the corner) or another acceptable form of ID such as a U.S. passport, you can be sent through a slower, separate screening process. I covered the details in our earlier post on what you should know about REAL ID.
Pricing on CLEAR Plus has also climbed since this post first ran (more on that below), and the TSA has rolled out a “Families on the Fly” initiative with dedicated family lanes at a growing list of airports. So whether your last flight was last week or two years ago, the calculus has shifted.
TSA PreCheck: What It Is and What It Costs
TSA PreCheck is a U.S. government program run by the Transportation Security Administration. Once you are approved, you go through a separate, dedicated security line at hundreds of U.S. airports, and you keep your shoes, light jacket, and belt on. You also keep your laptop, electronics, and 3-1-1 liquids bag inside your carry-on, instead of unloading everything onto the X-ray belt.
The current price is between $77 and $85 for a five-year membership, depending on which authorized enrollment provider you use. (TSA’s three providers, Idemia, Telos, and CLEAR, charge slightly different first-time enrollment fees; renewal pricing also varies a few dollars each way.) That works out to roughly $15 to $17 per year.
How to apply for TSA PreCheck
Apply online at tsa.gov/precheck and book an in-person appointment for fingerprints and a photo at one of more than three hundred enrollment centers nationwide. The interview itself takes about ten minutes. Most approvals come through within three to five days, though some take longer if there is anything to verify in your background.
Once you are approved, you will receive a nine-digit Known Traveler Number (KTN). Save this number in every frequent flyer profile you have. If your KTN is not on your reservation, your boarding pass will not show the PreCheck indicator, and you will not be allowed in the lane, no matter how active your membership is. This is the single most common reason I see travelers fail to get the benefit they paid for.
Is TSA PreCheck still worth it now that everyone can keep their shoes on?
This is the question I have been getting most often since the shoes-on rule changed for the general public. My honest answer is yes, for two reasons:
- The PreCheck line is still shorter and faster. The standard line still requires you to unpack laptops, separate liquids, take off belts and outerwear, and step through full-body scanners. PreCheck skips all of that.
- The shoes-on benefit at the regular line is not guaranteed. If you trigger an alarm, get pulled for random screening, or the airport raises its security posture for any reason, you can still be asked to remove footwear at the standard line. PreCheck members are far less likely to face that.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: The Free Upgrade Most PreCheck Members Skip
This is one of the most underused benefits inside TSA PreCheck, and it is the part I get asked about most by clients who have heard about facial recognition at the checkpoint and are not sure if it applies to them. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is a free benefit available to PreCheck members at a growing list of airports. Instead of pulling out your driver’s license or passport at the checkpoint, you walk up to a dedicated Touchless ID lane, look at the camera for a second, and the system matches your face against a passport photo on file. No ID handed over, no boarding pass scan. Walk up, walk through.
The catch, and this is the part nobody tells you, is that Touchless ID does not happen automatically when you join TSA PreCheck. You have to opt in separately, one airline at a time. Here is what you need:
- Active TSA PreCheck membership (or Global Entry, which includes PreCheck)
- A frequent flyer account with a participating airline (currently Delta, United, American, Alaska, and Southwest, with more being added)
- Your Known Traveler Number is saved in the airline profile
- Your passport information is saved in the airline profile (a passport, not just a driver’s license)
- A mobile boarding pass, not a paper one
- One opt-in per airline, completed through the airline’s app or website
The opt-in itself takes about two minutes. In Delta’s app it lives inside your SkyMiles profile; United puts it under “TSA PreCheck and travel documents”; American calls it out under your AAdvantage account information; Southwest has a “TSA PreCheck Touchless ID” option in your Rapid Rewards account that walks you through it. Some airlines (Delta and Southwest, for example) keep you enrolled continuously once you opt in; others (American) require periodic re-confirmation. Each airline is its own opt-in, so if you fly two carriers regularly, you need to do this twice.
When the airline has flagged your account and your mobile boarding pass shows the Touchless ID indicator, you can use a dedicated Touchless ID lane at participating airports. TSA is actively expanding the program to dozens more airports, and several Florida hubs already participate with at least one airline (Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Palm Beach International all appear on current participating-airport lists).
A few things worth knowing before you opt in:
- Bring your physical ID anyway. Cameras occasionally fail, the indicator does not always appear correctly on the boarding pass, and the agent may still ask for ID. Touchless ID is a benefit, not a guarantee. Always carry a REAL-ID-compliant license or passport.
- You can opt out anytime through your airline profile. Participation is voluntary.
- The data sharing is real. The system compares your live photo against a passport-photo template held in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection database. If facial-biometric data sharing makes you uncomfortable, simply do not opt in; you can still use the standard PreCheck lane every time.
- Children typically opt in individually if they meet the airline’s age requirement (Southwest, for example, requires age 18+).
For clients who fly several times a year on the same airline, opting in is a no-brainer. It removes one more friction point at the airport for the cost of a few minutes of setup, and at busy airports it is genuinely faster than the standard PreCheck lane during peak times.
TSA PreCheck for families
This is the part that surprises clients booking family group travel with us. Children twelve and under can join an enrolled parent or guardian in the PreCheck lane automatically; their boarding pass does not even need the indicator. Teens thirteen through seventeen can use the lane too, but only when they are on the same reservation as the PreCheck-eligible adult and the indicator appears on their boarding pass.
The TSA also launched a “Families on the Fly” initiative with dedicated family lanes at a growing list of airports, several of which are popular Florida departure points (Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando are among them). The lanes accommodate strollers, diaper bags, and the slightly chaotic energy of traveling with small children. There is also an ongoing “buy one, get $15 off” PreCheck enrollment offer that, paired with credit card reimbursement, can bring the per-person family cost down quite a bit.
CLEAR: What It Is and What It Costs
CLEAR is a private, publicly traded company that uses biometrics (eye and fingerprint scans) to verify your identity and physically escort you to the front of the security line. From there, you go through normal screening, either the TSA standard line or the PreCheck line, depending on what you are eligible for.
The CLEAR Plus consumer membership is the steepest of the bunch:
- $209 per year for an individual.
- $125 per additional adult for up to three additional adults under the Friends & Family plan.
- Children seventeen and under travel with a CLEAR member free.
Note this is per year, not per five years; over the same five-year window as a TSA PreCheck membership, CLEAR costs more than ten times as much.
How CLEAR enrollment works
You can sign up online or at a CLEAR pod at the airport. Either way, the first time you visit a CLEAR location you complete the biometric capture (eyes and fingerprints) before you can use the service. The whole enrollment process takes only a few minutes.
Where CLEAR shines (and where it doesn’t)
I will be candid here, because CLEAR is the most polarizing of these programs among my clients. CLEAR genuinely works best in three situations:
- Airports are notorious for chaotic check-in lines, especially during peak travel season (Orlando, Las Vegas, and Atlanta during holidays come to mind).
- Travelers who frequently arrive at the airport with razor-thin margins.
- Anyone who can get CLEAR Plus free or discounted as a credit card or airline elite-status benefit. Several premium American Express cards and select Delta and United status tiers offer this; check your benefits before paying retail.
And here is where CLEAR can disappoint. At airports where it has gotten very popular, the CLEAR line itself can sometimes be longer than the regular security line, which obviously defeats the point. I have personally watched CLEAR members get escorted past me in PreCheck only for the screening machine to delay them anyway, while the regular line moved everyone along just fine. CLEAR also has a separate use case at participating sports stadiums and concert venues, which has nothing to do with air travel but is a legitimate value-add if you frequent live events.
TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR: Side by Side
| TSA PreCheck | CLEAR Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $77 to $85 for 5 years | $209/year (plus $125 per additional adult) |
| Run by | U.S. Government (TSA) | Private company |
| Main benefit | Faster, easier security screening | Skip to the front of the security line |
| Shoes, belt, jacket | Stay on (always, even during heightened screening) | No effect; depends on which screening line you continue into |
| Laptop & liquids | Stay in carry-on | No effect; depends on screening line |
| Where it works | Over 200 U.S. airports | 50+ U.S. airports plus stadiums and arenas |
| Helps with international arrival? | No | No |
| Application/enrollment | Online + in-person interview | Online or at airport CLEAR pod |
Prices reflect current published fees and are subject to change.
Should I get the TSA PreCheck and CLEAR bundle?
CLEAR currently offers a bundle that includes a TSA PreCheck enrollment at no additional cost on top of the CLEAR Plus annual fee. Theoretically, this gets you the best of both: skip the line with CLEAR and breeze through screening with PreCheck. In practice, the value depends entirely on whether you would have paid for CLEAR anyway. If you are buying both retail just to bundle them, the math rarely works out better than getting Global Entry on its own (which includes PreCheck) and using the regular line on the rare occasions when CLEAR would actually save time.
Planning a trip where you will actually use these programs?
My team books European escorted tours, river cruises, ocean cruises, and group travel for clients all over the country. We can coordinate your cruise or tour in a way that pairs nicely with your trusted traveler benefits, including departure airport, arrival timing, and customs reentry. Call us at 1-800-942-3301 to talk through your options. (Se habla español.)
The Bigger Picture: Other Trusted Traveler Programs Worth Knowing About
Most articles comparing TSA PreCheck and CLEAR stop right there. But there are four more programs that are often a much better answer for the way real travelers actually move around the world. One of them is even free.
Global Entry: The Best Value if You Ever Leave the Country
Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that costs $120 for a five-year membership. When you reenter the U.S. after an international trip, instead of standing in the long passport-control line, you walk to a Global Entry kiosk, scan your face, answer a couple of customs questions, and you are out. Most members clear in under a minute at the kiosk.
The killer feature: Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck for the entire five-year membership. So for $120, you get the international customs benefit and the domestic security benefit in one program. If you fly internationally even once a year, this is the program to get; the domestic PreCheck alone almost justifies the small premium over standalone PreCheck.
The application process involves an online application, a $120 fee, a background check, and an in-person interview at a Global Entry enrollment center. If you cannot get an interview slot near home, you can use Enrollment on Arrival to complete your interview when you next return to the U.S. on an international flight at a participating airport. Many of my clients use this approach to bypass the months-long appointment backlog.
And here is the family wrinkle most people miss: children under eighteen are exempt from the application fee if they apply concurrently with a parent or legal guardian, or if their parent is already a member. For a family of four, that turns a potential $480 outlay into $240. If you are planning a multigenerational European trip with grandkids, this matters.
NEXUS and SENTRI: For Frequent Land-Border Travelers
NEXUS is a joint U.S./Canada program that gives you expedited entry across the U.S./Canada border by land, sea, and air; TSA PreCheck benefits at U.S. airports; and Global Entry-style processing when you reenter the U.S. from anywhere in the world. Three programs, one $120 fee. The catch is that interviews must be conducted at specific NEXUS enrollment centers, most of which are at northern border crossings or a handful of Canadian airports. For travelers in the upper Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, or upstate New York, NEXUS is a no-brainer. For Floridians, it is usually not practical unless you happen to have a Canada trip planned.
SENTRI is the equivalent program for the U.S./Mexico southern land border, mostly used by people who cross by car frequently from California, Arizona, or Texas. SENTRI also includes TSA PreCheck and Global Entry benefits, so members effectively get all three for one $120 fee. Unless you cross the southern land border on a regular basis, this program is not relevant to you.
Mobile Passport Control: The Free One
This is the program almost nobody knows about, and it is the answer when a client tells me they cannot justify $120 for Global Entry but still hates the customs line. The free CBP Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app, available on Apple and Android, lets U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, certain Canadian visitors, and approved Visa Waiver Program travelers submit passport and customs declaration information from their phone before they reach the inspection booth.
You enter a separate, dedicated MPC line, show the agent your QR-code receipt, and answer a quick question or two. It is not as instantaneous as Global Entry, but it is meaningfully faster than the standard customs line, and it is completely free. There is no application, no background check, no interview.
For our Florida clients, here is the part worth bookmarking: Mobile Passport Control works at several U.S. seaports, including Miami, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, and San Juan. If you are coming home from a Caribbean cruise, downloading this app the night before debarkation can save you a significant chunk of time getting back to your car.
The app is currently available at fifty-plus locations, including thirty-seven major U.S. international airports, fourteen preclearance airports overseas, and four U.S. seaports. The list grows over time, so it is worth checking the current participating locations list before relying on it.
Which Program Is Right for the Way You Actually Travel?
Let me cut through the comparison-chart-itis and give you my actual recommendations for the most common traveler profiles I see at Atlas:
The European escorted-tour client. Get Global Entry. You will use the kiosk every time you fly home from Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, or anywhere else, and the included PreCheck covers your domestic connecting flights. If you are going with grandkids, enroll them concurrently so they are free. Browse our escorted tours if this sounds like you.
The Mediterranean or Northern European cruise client. Same answer: Global Entry. Many of these cruises depart and return through European airports, so you will be reentering the U.S. by air. If your itinerary returns by ship to a U.S. seaport, also download Mobile Passport Control as a backup.
The Caribbean cruise passenger departing from a Florida port. If you only cruise and rarely fly internationally, Global Entry may not pencil out (you typically clear customs at the seaport, not at a kiosk). Download Mobile Passport Control for free; it works at most major Florida cruise ports. Layer on TSA PreCheck if you also fly to your departure port.
The frequent business flier in the U.S. only. TSA PreCheck. If you can get it reimbursed by a credit card or a corporate travel program, it is essentially free.
The peak-season Orlando or Las Vegas leisure traveler. TSA PreCheck for sure; CLEAR Plus only if you can get it included with a credit card or airline elite status, or if missed flights are a recurring problem for you.
The multigenerational family group is heading to Europe. The adults should each get Global Entry (with kids enrolled free as concurrent applicants). Make sure every Known Traveler Number is loaded into the airline reservation, including for the kids. Family lines flow much more smoothly when everyone is in the same lane.
The river cruise traveler. If you are taking a European river cruise, you are flying internationally. Global Entry. The day you fly home from a long Rhine, Danube, or Douro itinerary, you will thank yourself.
How to Get These Programs Free or Discounted
One of the most frequent questions my clients almost ask but do not, until they are about to swipe their card, is “Do I really need to pay for this?” Often, no. Here are the legitimate ways to reduce or eliminate the cost:
- Premium travel credit cards. Many cards offer a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit once every four to five years. A few include CLEAR Plus. Check your benefits portal before applying.
- Active military, Department of Defense civilians, and Gold Star/Military Survivor families. TSA PreCheck is free; military spouses can enroll for $25.
- Airline elite status and select airline rewards programs. Some Delta, United, and other top-tier elites get CLEAR Plus free or discounted.
- The TSA “Buy One, Get $15 Off” enrollment offer. When two travelers enroll together through an authorized enrollment provider, the second person gets $15 off. A family of four enrolling together can save $30.
- The minor exemption. Children under eighteen are free for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI when applying concurrently with, or after, a parent or legal guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between TSA PreCheck and CLEAR?
TSA PreCheck makes the actual security screening easier and faster (separate line, no need to remove shoes, jacket, belt, laptop, or liquids). CLEAR shortens the wait to reach security by walking you to the front of the line via biometric ID verification. PreCheck improves screening; CLEAR shortens the wait. They solve different problems.
Do I need both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR?
Most travelers do not need both. PreCheck on its own is enough for the vast majority of domestic fliers. CLEAR is worth adding only at airports with consistently long check-in lines, for travelers who frequently arrive on tight margins, or when you can get CLEAR free or discounted as a credit card or airline elite-status benefit.
Is TSA PreCheck still worth it now that everyone can keep their shoes on?
Yes, for most frequent fliers. The PreCheck line is still shorter and faster, and the shoes-on benefit at the regular line can still be reversed during random or secondary screening. PreCheck removes uncertainty along with the line.
Should I get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?
If you ever leave the country, get Global Entry. The fee is only slightly higher than PreCheck, and Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck for the entire five-year membership. If you never travel internationally and never plan to, TSA PreCheck on its own is the simpler choice.
Can my children use TSA PreCheck and CLEAR with me?
For TSA PreCheck, children twelve and under can use the lane with a parent or guardian who has the indicator on their boarding pass, automatically. Children thirteen through seventeen can use it if they are on the same reservation as the PreCheck-eligible adult. For CLEAR Plus, children seventeen and under can travel with a CLEAR member free.
What is Mobile Passport Control, and is it really free?
Yes, it is genuinely free. Mobile Passport Control is a free U.S. Customs and Border Protection app that lets eligible travelers submit passport and customs declaration information from their phone before reaching the inspection booth. It works at fifty-plus locations including major U.S. airports, preclearance airports overseas, and several U.S. seaports, including Miami, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, and San Juan.
Will an old DUI or arrest disqualify me from Global Entry?
Possibly, but not always. CBP considers the type of offense, how long ago it was, whether it was resolved, and the overall pattern. Many travelers with old, fully resolved misdemeanors are approved. Lying on the application is far more disqualifying than the underlying record, so always disclose accurately.
Does Global Entry work when arriving at a U.S. cruise port?
Most U.S. seaports do not have Global Entry kiosks; they use Customs and Border Protection officers and, at participating ports, Mobile Passport Control. Global Entry membership often still helps because some ports have dedicated lanes for Trusted Traveler members, but the experience varies. For Florida cruise ports specifically, Mobile Passport Control is usually your best free option.
What happens if I lose my Known Traveler Number or it is not on my reservation?
You can recover it anytime by logging into your TTP or PreCheck account. If you forget to put it on a reservation, you can usually still add it through the airline (call or use the manage-reservation feature) before check-in, but it must be on the reservation before the boarding pass is issued for the PreCheck indicator to appear.
Can I expedite my Global Entry interview?
You cannot pay to expedite the conditional-approval review, but you can use Enrollment on Arrival on your next international flight to bypass the appointment backlog at enrollment centers. This is one of my favorite tips for clients who are conditionally approved but cannot find a nearby interview slot.
What if my passport name does not match the name on my reservation?
Your name on the airline reservation should match your passport (and your Known Traveler Number profile) exactly, including middle names if your passport shows them. Mismatches can cause your KTN to fail to attach and, occasionally, problems at check-in.
Can I get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR reimbursed?
Yes. Many travel rewards credit cards reimburse Global Entry or TSA PreCheck once every four or five years as a statement credit. A few premium cards include CLEAR Plus. Active military, Department of Defense civilians, Gold Star families, and select airline elite-status members can also get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR free or at a discount.
What if I get denied?
For Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, you receive a denial letter explaining the reason category and how to request reconsideration through the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman. The fee is non-refundable, but you can reapply once any disqualifying issue is resolved.
The Bottom Line
To summarize the difference everyone came here for: TSA PreCheck makes screening easier; CLEAR shortens the line to reach screening. They solve different problems, and they are not interchangeable.
For a typical Atlas client (someone who travels internationally a few times a year, often by cruise or escorted tour, with a couple of domestic trips on top), my one-line advice is this: get Global Entry, download Mobile Passport Control as a backup, and skip the rest unless you have a specific reason. That single decision covers your security line at the airport, your customs line on the way home, and your seaport reentry on the way back from a Caribbean sailing.
If you only ever fly domestically, TSA PreCheck on its own is plenty. CLEAR is icing, NEXUS and SENTRI are specialty tools, and Mobile Passport Control is the free backstop that should already be on your phone.
Whatever you choose, apply at least three to six months before your next big trip. The application timelines have a habit of stretching out exactly when you most want to fly.
Ready to plan a trip worth getting Global Entry for?
Atlas Cruises & Tours has been booking escorted tours, cruise vacations, river cruises, and group travel for our clients for decades. If you would like to talk through which destinations make the most of your trusted traveler programs, give us a call.
