SAN DIEGO, CA (KGTV)— CLEAR is officially at terminal two at the San Diego International Airport, giving members, an opportunity to speed up their identity verification process and skip long TSA lines, by having their eyes or fingerprints scanned.
“I can just come over here sign in, and skip the entire line, so it's nice to be able to do that, then I don't have to show my ID,” said a woman traveling out of San Diego’s airport who signed up for CLEAR last year.
San Diego International airport is the 43rd in the country to have CLEAR's kiosks available. The traveler program is different from TSA precheck, which is offered through the government for $85 for five years.
Here's how CLEAR works: Any adult U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, with a valid government-issued photo ID, can enroll on CLEAR's website.
It's $179 for a year, there are options to add additional family members. After the online portion is filled with your information, you finish enrollment at the airport. Discounts are available for members of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Express. Active military, veterans, and government officials are also eligible for discounts.
“You come to an airport and finish the process by verifying who you are, via your eyes or fingerprints. From there you’re able to use our service immediately,” said Arica Gately, CLEAR’s Senior Director of Airport Business Development.
Your iris image or fingerprint scan will be used in place of a traditional ID.
“Our members have access to dedicated lanes, when our members come into the lane, they're greeted by our ambassador team, where they verify their identity with their eyes or fingers instead of traditional documents like driver's license or passport,” said Gately.
After that, Gately said CLEAR members are escorted to the very front of the TSA line, but still need to go through the physical security check.
This comes as airports are getting busier with more people ready to travel. According to a spokesperson for San Diego International Airport, passenger traffic is currently 14 percent down over 2019's passenger numbers. It's the closest the airport has been to reaching 2019 numbers since the start of the pandemic.
“We are thrilled that CLEAR is now offering their touchless technology at SAN,” said Kimberly Becker, President & CEO of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “We are always looking for new ways to enhance the customer experience and make travel as seamless as possible. This is a great addition to that commitment. Welcome to San Diego, CLEAR.”
