CLEAR is running a promotion between now and April 1 that will give you 15,000 United miles when you sign up. Normally a CLEAR membership is $119 per year, but United MileagePlus members with Premier Gold, Platinum, or 1K status receive a discounted rate of $109.
Either way you cut it, this is a pretty lucrative deal. At 15,000 miles for $119 you’re paying about 0.8 cents per mile, and I consider United miles worth about 1.5 to 2 cents each. That’s enough miles to redeem for a free one-way domestic flight!
CLEAR is a pre-screening service that works in addition to TSA checkpoints, saving you the time you wait in line to check your ID and boarding pass. You still need to go through the actual security screen, which may involve taking off your shoes and belt if you’re not signed up for TSA PreCheck. I don’t think CLEAR makes sense for everyone. Some airports are pretty efficient. But at my home airport in Austin, Texas, the security lines are often insane and full of tourists. CLEAR easily saves me 10 minutes or more on every trip.
I already have a CLEAR membership that I got for free through an American Express promotion, and if you’re an American Express Platinum Card member then you can get the CLEAR membership fee reimbursed as part of your regular card benefits. For those who don’t have one of those perks, this sign-up offer is one of the better ones out there and may be worth it just to get the miles even if you don’t see yourself using the membership.
