What Credit Cards Give You CLEAR for Free?

Credit cards can offer valuable benefits that enhance travel experiences, including expedited airport security services. Understanding which credit cards provide complimentary or discounted access to services like CLEAR can streamline transit through airports. This article aims to identify specific credit cards that extend CLEAR membership as a benefit, detailing how these offerings work and the steps involved in utilizing them. By leveraging these card benefits, travelers can bypass standard security lines, making their journeys more efficient.

What CLEAR Membership Offers

CLEAR is a private biometric identity verification service that expedites security screening at airports and other venues. It uses biometric data like fingerprints and iris scans to confirm a member’s identity. This allows members to proceed directly to physical screening without presenting a government-issued photo ID to a TSA agent. The standard annual membership fee for CLEAR Plus is $209.

The service is available at airports and stadiums nationwide. While CLEAR Plus membership focuses on identity verification, it complements government programs like TSA PreCheck, which provides expedited physical screening. Children under 18 can accompany a CLEAR Plus member through the dedicated lane at no additional charge.

Credit Cards with CLEAR Benefits

Several credit cards offer statement credits that can offset the cost of a CLEAR Plus membership. The primary cardholder or authorized users can often trigger these credits by using the eligible card to pay for the CLEAR Plus membership.

The Platinum Card® from American Express provides a statement credit of up to $209 per calendar year for a CLEAR Plus membership. Similarly, the American Express® Business Platinum Card also offers an annual statement credit of up to $209 towards a CLEAR Plus membership.

The American Express® Green Card also offers a statement credit of up to $209 annually for CLEAR Plus membership. Additionally, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card provides a statement credit of up to $209 each calendar year for a CLEAR Plus membership.

Some airline co-branded credit cards, such as certain Delta SkyMiles American Express cards and United Airlines credit cards, may offer discounted CLEAR Plus membership rates. For instance, cardholders of these specific airline cards might receive a reduced annual rate of $169 for CLEAR Plus. Credit cards issued by other banks, such as Chase, typically do not offer direct reimbursement for CLEAR Plus.

Claiming Your CLEAR Membership Benefit

Cardholders should initiate enrollment for CLEAR Plus online or, if already a member, log into their existing CLEAR account. During the enrollment or renewal process, the eligible credit card must be used as the form of payment for the CLEAR Plus membership fee.

After the charge posts to the eligible credit card account, the statement credit is typically issued automatically. While the credit may appear within a few business days, it can take up to six to eight weeks for the statement credit to be fully processed and posted to the account. Cardholders should monitor their credit card statements to confirm the credit has been applied. If an existing CLEAR Plus membership is already in place, members can update their payment method to the eligible credit card within their CLEAR account settings to trigger the benefit.

Completion of the CLEAR Plus enrollment generally requires a visit to a CLEAR enrollment center at a participating airport. During this in-person step, a valid government-issued identification, such as a U.S. passport or driver’s license, is verified. Once this final step is completed, the CLEAR Plus membership becomes fully active, allowing access to the dedicated CLEAR lanes.

Key Details About the CLEAR Benefit

The CLEAR Plus statement credit offered by eligible credit cards is applied on a calendar year basis. This means the benefit resets at the beginning of each new year, allowing cardholders to receive the credit annually as long as they maintain the eligible card and use it for the CLEAR Plus membership fee. The maximum credit is up to the full annual membership cost, which is $209.

The statement credit is provided per card account, rather than per individual cardholder or authorized user. This implies that while authorized users can use the eligible card to pay for a CLEAR Plus membership, the total amount of statement credits for all charges on the account will not exceed the annual cap. However, the benefit can be used to pay for a CLEAR Plus membership for any individual, not just the primary cardholder.

CLEAR Plus memberships automatically renew each year unless canceled by the member. The annual membership fee will be charged to the credit card on file with CLEAR, which should be the eligible card to continue receiving the statement credit. For those interested in family plans, CLEAR allows members to add up to three additional adult family members or friends to their account for an extra cost, around $125 per person annually. While the credit covers the primary membership, the additional family member fees would generally be an out-of-pocket expense beyond the single statement credit unless the primary membership was obtained at a discounted rate, leaving room under the credit cap.