Free membership to TSA Registered Traveler

For the last few years, frequent travelers have had the option to sacrifice their privacy (as well as some money) for speed at the airport. Now, thanks to some keen deal-spotting by bloggers, passengers can skip to the front of the airport security line for free. The question to be asked is: even when such services are free, are they worth the price?

(Credit: Courtesy CLEAR/Verified Identity Pass)

Verified Identity Pass is one of three companies that participate in TSA's Registered Traveler program. The company offers separate lines leading to TSA checkpoints for its subscribers. Passengers passing through one of these lines get to skip to the front of TSA's security checkpoint -- although they still must take off their shoes and belts.

Verified Identity Pass, and its CLEAR program, has been the subject of much hype since its launch a couple years ago . However, it has received quite a bit of criticism from the security community, as well as from TSA's head honcho Kip Hawley. In a statement last year explaining why CLEAR customers still had to take off their shoes and belts, Hawley told Congress:

"The technology is not yet there to provide significant screening benefits to members," Hawley said today before the House Committee on Homeland Security, adding that providers need to tweak such systems before TSA grants full approval. He did not specify the modifications TSA seeks.

Passengers wishing to join the CLEAR program will need to fork over $100 per year, plus $28 for the background check that TSA will run. As part of the application, customers are asked for their social security and drivers license numbers, although these are clearly marked as optional information.

The real sticking point, at least for me, is that passengers are required to give up a copy of their fingerprints and a retina scan. This information will then be used to authenticate you when you go through a CLEAR checkpoint. Of course, should the FBI write a national security letter and decide that it would also like a copy of that biometric information, Verified Identity Pass will be forced to hand it over. Creepy.

Thanks to some keen spotting by Gary over at View from the Wing, suckers passengers willing to hand over this information to a central database can now join CLEAR for free, at least for the first year.

First: go and sign up to be a member of the Hyatt Hotels Platinum Program (valid until March 31).

Second: with your new Hyatt platinum number in hand, go over to the CLEAR site and sign up for a one year free membership.

I've thought it over, and even when it's free, I still can't convince myself that it's a good idea to do this. However, for those of you who fly frequently (or who have been arrested before, and thus already have your paw-prints on file), perhaps you may find this useful.

For those more adventurous travelers, as I've discussed before, there is another way to jump to the front of the security line - refuse to show ID.

[jeffs4508]

You have to stay at Hyatt at least once before June 30th to qualify for the free CLEAR membership...

[csoghoian]

No you don't. It says you do, but CLEAR doesn't check.

[raitchison]

I'd do it if it let me get through security without taking off my shoes & belt or without taking my laptop out of it's bag. As it stands now even for free there's not enough benefit.

[PortVista-19095313035016904102]

Save 5 minutes waiting in line each time you fly, but you'll get junk mail and unsolicited phone calls for life.

[tcgathens]

You mean to tell me that you actually take your belt off when going through security???? Have only done that once since 9/11...

[LogicalExtremes]

This kind of program is wrong on so many levels. Innocent until proven guilty, to me, means for one thing that the government has no right to my biometrics. Biometrics may make for good authentication, but they are not good for security. And once they are in a corporate (and possibly government) database, they are there forever. I'm not willing to risk a future breach or abuse for any level of 'convenience'.

[JOHNNYBILLWALL]

I would note that there is nothing about the CLEAR/TSA prior security clearance that speeds airport security itself; rather it adds another layer of security clearance to the existing ID check, metal detector/X-Ray security checks. The background information check, and the bio-metrics are all additonal; in fact the finger print/IRIS confirmation adds to the airport security routine. The only advantage to the traveller is the separate line for CLEAR/TSA cardholders; and this advantage will disappear when the number of such cardholders reaches larger numbers.

[shrike2000]

I am a member of CLEAR and I travel for a living. I don't always have to use the CLEAR card, but when there's a line 45 minutes long it really comes in handy. $128/year is a small price to pay to save all that time at the airport - considering how much time I spend at airports. There are other benefits as well... not only do you skip the line, you get taken to the front of the x-ray machine and one of the CLEAR employees carries your stuff for you. Of course, you also get scowled at by the other people in line. Nothing new to a frequent traveler, people are already pissed off that we get to board the plane first. I can't count the number of snide comments I've heard - especially from people with children. Oh, don't forget the INfrequent travelers who complain about us taking big carryons on the plane.

The drawback of clear is that it's not faster if there's no line. Often the first class/frequent flier lane is just as fast as the CLEAR lane and you don't get the evil eye. It would be even more awesome if we didn't have to take off our shoes and jacket and let us take liquids through (like the old days).