Sharon and I were initially hesitant about getting CLEAR. We didn’t think it was worth the cost for the airports we typically flew through. We found that TSA Precheck was enough to help us avoid most of the lines at our home airport, MCO, and other airports we visited didn’t even have CLEAR checkpoints. However, in 2019, I was able to secure a promotional rate for CLEAR and during the pandemic, they offered discounted prices to keep members in the program.
Since then, we’ve experienced airports where CLEAR is a lifesaver and some when getting in the CLEAR line is slower than the TSA Precheck lane (Hello ATL Airport!) But since we’re able to get CLEAR for free, or close to free, with credits from my AMEX Platinum Card, we’ve renewed our membership every year.
Clear Price Increase
Because we have a Delta AMEX co-brand card, CLEAR charges $149 for the primary member. This is easily covered by the $189 statement credit by the AMEX Platinum or AMEX Green card. However, the biggest change is the price CLEAR is charging to add up to three additional members to your account.
Until early 2023, the cost to add a person to a family plan was $60. In early 2023, the cost increased to $70. In late 2023, the cost increased again, this time to $99.
When the cost was $60 the total price for our two memberships was $209. With a $189 credit, I only had to pay $20 for the two of us to have CLEAR memberships.
However, with the cost of an extra member increasing to $99, we’re paying $248. That $59 out of pocket after the $189 statement credit from AMEX.
Splitting Payment
I recently mentioned how I’d have to pay $60 for CLEAR after the price increase, to which an eagle-eyed reader commented about why we didn’t pay for the extra cost with the AMEX Green Card, which also has a $189 CLEAR statement credit.
When we were only paying $20 extra per year, I contacted CLEAR to ask if we could split our payment and use the statement credits from each of our AMEX cards.
According to them, it is not possible to split a payment between two credit cards. The only thing we could do is drop Sharon from my “family plan” and have her sign up for her own account. That way, I can pay with my card, and she can pay with her card.
Individual Accounts
I’m not willing to pay $60 for Sharon to stay on my “family plan” when I can use the $189 credit from her AMEX Green Card to pay for her membership. I know if it was up to her, we probably wouldn’t keep CLEAR, except for the fact that it helped us get into Madison Square Garden faster for the Billy Joel concert.
But since she’s never going to give up her Green Card and it comes with a CLEAR credit, we might as well take advantage of it. Even if it means having her re-apply for CLEAR.
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