Clear vs. TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry
Which do you actually need?
Three programs, three different price points, three different things. Here's what each one actually does and whether it's worth your money.
Side-by-side comparison
| TSA PreCheck | CLEAR Plus | Global Entry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $76.75 new $58.75–$72.95 renewal | $219/year up from $209 in 2025 | $120 for 5 years includes PreCheck |
| Duration | 5 years | Annual | 5 years |
| What it speeds up | Security screening itself — shoes on, laptop in bag, metal detector | Identity verification — biometrics skip the ID check line | Security screening (same as PreCheck) + customs on international return |
| What it doesn't speed up | ID check, customs, boarding | Screening itself — you still go through regular X-ray/scanner | ID check (still done), boarding |
| Airports | 200+ airports | 60+ airports e-gates at 37 | 200+ airports (PreCheck) + customs at all international entry points |
| 5-year cost | ~$78 | $1,095 | $120 |
| Best for | Anyone who flies 2+ times/year domestically | Frequent flyers (20+/year) at busy hub airports, paired with PreCheck | Anyone who travels internationally at all — best value overall |
TSA PreCheck
Cost
$76.75 new
$58.75–$72.95 renewal
Duration
5 years
Speeds up
Security screening — shoes on, laptop in bag, metal detector
Doesn't speed up
ID check, customs, boarding
Airports
200+ airports
5-year cost
~$78
Best for
Anyone who flies 2+ times/year domestically
CLEAR Plus
Cost
$219/year
up from $209 in 2025
Duration
Annual
Speeds up
Identity verification — biometrics skip ID check line
Doesn't speed up
Screening itself — regular X-ray/scanner still applies
Airports
60+ airports (e-gates at 37)
5-year cost
$1,095
Best for
Frequent flyers (20+/year) at busy hubs, with PreCheck
Global Entry
Cost
$120 for 5 years
includes PreCheck
Duration
5 years
Speeds up
Security screening (same as PreCheck) + customs on return
Doesn't speed up
ID check, boarding
Airports
200+ airports + all international entry points
5-year cost
$120
Best for
Anyone who travels internationally — best value overall
What each one actually does
TSA PreCheck
$76.75 / 5 yearsPreCheck gives you a dedicated screening lane with relaxed rules. You keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on. Your laptop and liquids stay in your bag. You walk through a metal detector instead of the full-body scanner. The line is almost always under 5 minutes. It's available at 200+ airports and has 20 million+ members. For $15/year, it's the single best travel purchase you can make. Under-30 travelers get $20 off enrollment.
CLEAR Plus
$219 / yearCLEAR is biometric identity verification. It scans your eyes or fingerprints to confirm who you are, then sends you to the front of the security lane. That's it. You still go through the same screening as everyone else — shoes off, laptop out, the whole routine (unless you also have PreCheck). It's at 60+ airports with e-gates at 37 so you no longer need a human ambassador. CLEAR claims 38 million “platform members” but most of those are free-tier users. The real value of CLEAR is pairing it with PreCheck: CLEAR handles identity, then you go straight to the front of the PreCheck lane.
Global Entry
$120 / 5 yearsGlobal Entry includes everything TSA PreCheck offers — same dedicated lane, same relaxed screening rules. On top of that, you get expedited customs when returning to the US from international trips via automated kiosks instead of the standard immigration line. No separate PreCheck enrollment needed. The catch: you need an in-person interview (or use “Enrollment on Arrival” at participating airports). At $120 for 5 years — just $42 more than PreCheck alone — it's the best value if you travel internationally at all. Even once every few years.
The math: 5-year cost comparison
PreCheck alone
~$78
The baseline. $15/year.
Global Entry
$120
PreCheck included. Just $42 more for customs too.
CLEAR alone
$1,095
$219 x 5 years. And you still don't get PreCheck benefits.
Global Entry + CLEAR
$1,215
The full stack. Only worth it if you fly 20+/year from major hubs.
The verdict
Global Entry is the best value. For $42 more than PreCheck alone over 5 years, you get everything PreCheck offers plus expedited customs. CLEAR at $219/year is a tough sell — you're paying 14x more per year than Global Entry for a service that only handles identity verification at a fraction of the airports.
Which one should you get?
You fly 1–2x/year, domestically
Get TSA PreCheck. $76.75 for 5 years. Done.
You fly internationally at all
Get Global Entry. $120 for 5 years. PreCheck included. Skip customs on the way back. No-brainer for $42 more.
You fly 20+ times/year from ATL, JFK, or LAX
Get Global Entry + CLEAR. At that volume, the $219/year for CLEAR saves you enough cumulative time to justify it. But Global Entry (with PreCheck) first — always.
You never fly
Save your money.
Note on Delta Diamond Medallion members: CLEAR used to be free for you. As of June 2026, it's $129/year. Still a discount, but worth reevaluating if you weren't using it much.
Is PreCheck still worth it in 2026?
Yes, but with a caveat that didn't exist a few years ago.
During government shutdowns in 2025 and 2026, TSA staffing dropped and PreCheck lanes were either closed entirely or merged with standard screening at some airports. Wait times at affected airports hit 85–95 minutes — in the PreCheck lane. That's not a typo.
Under normal operations, PreCheck waits are under 5 minutes at most airports. But “normal operations” is no longer guaranteed. Government shutdowns have become more frequent, and TSA staffing is the first thing to suffer.
The honest assessment
PreCheck is absolutely still worth $78 for 5 years. The vast majority of the time, it works exactly as advertised. But don't assume it's a guarantee of fast security anymore. During shutdowns, everyone waits. Check live TSA wait times before heading to the airport, especially during politically unstable periods.
Common questions
Is TSA PreCheck worth it?
Yes, for anyone who flies at least twice a year. At $76.75 for 5 years ($15.35/year), PreCheck lets you keep shoes, belt, and jacket on, leave your laptop in the bag, and use a metal detector instead of the body scanner. Wait times are typically under 5 minutes vs 15-30 minutes in standard lines. It pays for itself in time saved within a couple of trips.
Is CLEAR worth it?
For most people, no. CLEAR costs $219/year and only handles identity verification — it skips the ID check line but you still go through the same screening process. Over 5 years that's $1,095 vs $78 for PreCheck. CLEAR makes sense if you fly 20+ times per year from busy hub airports like ATL, JFK, or LAX, especially combined with PreCheck. For everyone else, PreCheck or Global Entry alone is enough.
What's the difference between Clear and PreCheck?
They do completely different things. TSA PreCheck gives you a dedicated screening lane with relaxed rules — shoes stay on, laptop stays in bag, metal detector instead of body scanner. CLEAR uses biometrics (eyes and fingerprints) to verify your identity and skip the ID check portion of the line, but you still go through regular screening. PreCheck makes screening faster. CLEAR skips the line to get to screening. They work best together but PreCheck alone gives you more value per dollar.
Does Global Entry include PreCheck?
Yes. Global Entry ($120 for 5 years) includes full TSA PreCheck benefits — no separate enrollment needed. You get PreCheck at 200+ airports plus expedited customs when returning from international trips via automated kiosks. At just $42 more than PreCheck alone over 5 years, Global Entry is the better deal if you ever travel internationally.
Can you have both Clear and PreCheck?
Yes, and that's how CLEAR works best. With both, CLEAR handles identity verification via biometrics and sends you to the front of the PreCheck screening lane. Without PreCheck, CLEAR just sends you to the front of the standard screening lane — you still take off shoes, remove laptops, etc. Having both is the fastest possible combination, but it costs $219/year for CLEAR plus $78/5 years for PreCheck.
Check live TSA wait times at your airport
See how long PreCheck and standard lines actually are right now — 150+ airports, updated daily.