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In 2021, American Specific rolled out an enormous refresh to their top-tier Platinum Card® from American Specific, including a slew of latest advantages whereas pumping the annual charge from $550 to $695 a yr (see charges & charges). Whereas not all these new advantages are worthwhile, among the best is a brand new credit score of as much as $189 a yr to cowl the price of CLEAR membership.
On its face, that is a reasonably whole lot. CLEAR is a privately run trusted traveler program that will get you thru airport safety sooner. However its steep price ticket has scared away many vacationers: Is it actually value paying $189 a yr? In case you have the Platinum Card, it covers each cent of it.
However you are able to do even higher. By using a simple strategy to minimize that preliminary signup value, this new CLEAR credit score is usually a two-for-one: Get CLEAR for your self and a member of the family – at the least for now.
Learn on for every thing it is advisable find out about maximizing the Amex Platinum CLEAR credit score.
Click on Right here to be taught extra about The Platinum Card® from American Specific.
How A lot Does CLEAR Price?
After a current value improve, annual membership within the CLEAR program is $189, and let’s not beat across the bush: That is a steep value to pay. And for a lot of vacationers, it does not make sense.
However with a little bit bit of labor, you may make that value less expensive.
For starters, all Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus frequent flyer members can enroll in CLEAR for simply $119. Even in case you’re not a frequent flyer with both Delta or United, you may rapidly join a free SkyMiles or MileagePlus account to capitalize on this decrease value. Upon getting a frequent flyer account quantity with both program, you may enroll by the particular hyperlink above and hyperlink your frequent flyer account quantity.
Nevertheless, beginning on February 1, that value jumps from $119 to $179 annually. You may wish to buy CLEAR® earlier than then to get the present pricing to your first yr.
That value will get even higher in case you’ve obtained standing with both airline or maintain one in every of their co-branded bank cards: It drops to only $109 annually. Once more, that value will leap to $149 beginning on February 1.
And the bottom pricing of all is reserved for top-tier standing holders, who can choose an annual CLEAR membership as a free perk. That is not altering come February 1.
Add a Household Member (or Buddy) to Your CLEAR Account
That is the place it will get even higher. CLEAR lets you add as much as three grownup “members of the family” to your account for an extra $60 annually per member of the family.
In actuality, you may add nearly anybody to your account: There is no requirement that you just’re truly associated to members of your Household Plan … and even that you just share the identical handle. Household Plan members have to be 18 with a legitimate U.S. photograph ID. Notably, children underneath the age of 18 can accompany CLEAR members by the CLEAR lane at no cost – there isn’t any want so as to add them to your plan.
One nice perk: Members in your Household Plan can use CLEAR anytime they’re touring. You do not have to be touring with them to unlock that profit.
As long as you signed up for CLEAR at a reduced value by both Delta or United earlier than February 1, the brand new $189 credit score on the Platinum Card will utterly cowl your personal membership and as much as one extra traveler on a Household Plan to your first yr. The upper pricing can be mirrored in your first renewal date.
- Join CLEAR at $119 with a SkyMiles or MileagePlus account? Add a member of the family for $60 and deplete that total $189 credit score. Simply ensure that to do that earlier than costs improve on February 1, 2023.
- Have standing with Delta or United? Or have one in every of their co-branded bank cards just like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Specific Card or the United℠ Explorer Card? You may get CLEAR for your self and a member of the family and nonetheless have $10 left over. Once more, simply ensure that to do that earlier than Feb. 1 so the Platinum Card’s $189 credit score will cowl the complete quantity.
- Obtained top-tier standing with both airline? You get CLEAR free, so use this credit score on the Platinum card to provide as much as two vacationers CLEAR, too!
Associated: A Full Evaluate of the Platinum Card from American Specific
Beware, Present CLEAR Members
In case you are already an present CLEAR member and must replace your fee methodology to your Amex Platinum Card, you should definitely confirm that your Platinum Card is displaying up as your billing card earlier than you add a member of the family to your account.
Current information factors from members of the Thrifty Traveler workforce recommend that the change will not occur immediately, however ought to replace inside a couple of hours or so.
Pair it with TSA PreCheck (Or World Entry)
CLEAR could seem duplicative with TSA PreCheck. They’re each a quick cross by airport safety, proper?
Mistaken. These two applications serve drastically totally different functions – holding them each is usually a highly effective weapon to hurry by safety. Consider it this fashion:
- CLEAR cuts you to the entrance of the road. When you’ve obtained TSA PreCheck, you may head to the entrance of that line. When you do not you may head to the entrance of the conventional TSA lane.
- TSA PreCheck will get you thru safety sooner because you needn’t take away sneakers, belts, jackets, electronics, or liquids.
That makes holding each CLEAR and TSA PreCheck a powerful one-two punch. Whereas paying for each out of pocket will not be value it, the Amex Platinum Card carries credit that may cowl the price of enrollment in each applications!
Our tip? Join World Entry as an alternative of TSA PreCheck, as that program comes with a TSA PreCheck membership and will get you thru customs and immigration sooner, too. The Platinum Card covers the complete $100 utility charge as soon as each 4 years, and membership lasts for 5 years.
What Airports Supply CLEAR Service?
CLEAR is not accessible at each main U.S. airport simply but. However that is beginning to change.
CLEAR has been quickly increasing its footprint and there are actually many U.S. airports providing the service, although it nonetheless trails TSA PreCheck significantly. Here is the listing of all CLEAR airport places.
| Airport | Terminal(s) |
|---|---|
| Atlanta (ATL) | North & South Home Terminals |
| Austin (AUS) | Checkpoints 1 & 2 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | Checkpoints A,B,C, D & E |
| Birmingham (BHM) | Predominant Terminal |
| Boston (BOS) | Terminal A |
| Chicago-Halfway (MDW) | Predominant Terminal |
| Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) | Terminal 1 & 2 |
| Cincinnati (CVG) | Predominant Terminal |
| Cleveland (CLE) | Middle & South Checkpoints |
| Columbus (CMH) | Predominant Terminal |
| Dallas-Fort Price (DFW) | Terminal E |
| Dallas-Love Area (DAL) | Terminal 1 |
| Denver (DEN) | North & South Entrances |
| Detroit (DTW) | North & McNamara Terminals |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | Terminals 1 & 2 |
| Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) | Terminals A, B, C and E |
| Houston-Interest (HOU) | Predominant Terminal |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | Terminals 1 & 3 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Terminals 1 – 7 |
| Miami (MIA) | Checkpoints E & H |
| Minneapolis−Saint Paul (MSP) | Terminal 1 |
| Nashville (BNA) | |
| New Orleans (MSY) | Concourse D |
| New York Metropolis-John F. Kennedy (JFK) | Terminals 2 & 4 |
| New York-LaGuardia (LGA) | Terminals C & D |
| Newark (EWR) | Terminal C |
| Westchester County (HPN) | Predominant Terminal |
| Oakland (OAK) | Terminal 2 |
| Ontario (ONT) | Terminal 2 & 4 |
| Orlando (MCO) | East & West Safety |
| Palm Seashore (PBI) | Terminal A/B & C |
| Palm Springs (PSP) | Predominant Terminal |
| Phoenix (PHX) | Terminals 2,3 & 4 |
| Sacramento (SMF) | Terminal A & B |
| Salt Lake Metropolis (SLC) | Terminals 1 & 2 |
| San Antonio (SAT) | Terminals A & B |
| San Diego (SAN) | Terminal 2 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | Terminals 1-3, Worldwide Terminals A & G |
| San Jose (SJC) | Terminal A & B |
| Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) | Checkpoints 1-5 |
| St. Louis (STL) | Terminal 2 |
| Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) | Predominant Terminal & East Safety Checkpoint |
| Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA) | Terminals A, B & C |
Along with the CLEAR airport places, there are even a number of sports activities stadiums and occasion venues throughout the nation that provide CLEAR as a strategy to fast-track your entry. Here is the complete listing:
| Sports activities Venue | Metropolis | The place to Entry |
|---|---|---|
| SunTrust Park | Atlanta, GA | Chop Home, First Base & Third Base Gates |
| Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Baltimore, MD | Gate C |
| Progressive Area | Cleveland, OH | E. ninth Avenue Patio Gate |
| Globe Life Park in Arlington | Arlington, TX | First Base Gate |
| Coors Area | Denver, CO | Gates C & D |
| Comerica Park | Detroit, MI | Gate A |
| STAPLES Middle | Los Angeles, CA | Figueroa Avenue Entrance |
| Banc of California Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | Northwest Plaza & Northeast Gate |
| AmericanAirlines Enviornment | Miami, FL | Gates 1 & 2 |
| Goal Area | Minneapolis, MN | Gate 34 |
| Yankee Stadium | New York, NY | Babe Ruth Plaza, Suite Entrance, & Gate 6 |
| Citi Area | New York, NY | Jackie Robinson Rotunda & Seaver Gate |
| Madison Sq. Backyard | New York, NY | seventh Ave South Entrance |
| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | Oakland, CA | Gate C & D |
| Oracle Park | San Francisco, CA | Willie Mays Gate & King Avenue Gates |
| Avaya Stadium | San Jose, CA | Predominant Gate |
| T-Cellular Park | Seattle, WA | House Plate & Left Area Entrances |
| CenturyLink Area | Seattle, WA | North Plaza & Southwest Entrance |
Learn Extra: All About CLEAR & How It Works
Backside Line
Whereas we’re principally blended about the advantages added to the Platinum Card from American Specific a couple of years in the past, there isn’t any query that vacationers can extract some critical worth out of the brand new Amex Platinum CLEAR credit score.
Ensure you enroll by both Delta or United to get the decrease pricing earlier than costs improve on February 1. That manner, you need to use this new credit score to provide your favourite fellow traveler CLEAR advantages at no out-of-pocket value to your first yr.
