Get CLEAR For Free, Even Without Amex Platinum

by Gary Leff

CLEAR is expedited airport security. You use biometrics instead of a drivers license to identify yourself, and you skip to the front of the security line. If you’re eligible for PreCheck, you skip to the front of the PreCheck line. And you can leave your ID in your pocket or carry on. They’re also used at some entertainment venues.

The regular price for CLEAR is $179 a year. Both Delta and United invested in CLEAR, and their frequent flyer program members get discounts. Even a general (non-elite) member of either program gets it for $119 instead of $179, and family can be added on for an extra fee (children under 18 accompany you for free).

I’ve been getting free extensions of my membership throughout the pandemic. It was finally time to pay, and I did so right after the American Express Platinum card added a $179 annual credit for CLEAR membership which covers the full regular price of a single member, or the “I’m a non-elite member of MileagePlus or SkyMiles” price plus family.

However you do not need this card right now to get CLEAR for free. Surprisingly, American Express is offering a statement credit up to $179 for CLEAR as an Amex Offer on other cards. Several readers have reported receiving this on Amex Gold cards. and reportedly it’s offered on some other American Express cards as well.

You must use this by October 30, 2021 online at clearme.com, and the offer excludes gift card purchases. Your CLEAR subscription will be set to auto renew, though you can turn this off. It’s also valid only as a statement credit against a single purchase.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Signed up with Clear. Tried the “Chat” line. No answer. Tried to text them. Eight hours later, I get a reply text. “Hi, this is customer service, are you still there?”
    No, FCS, it’s EIGHT frigging hours later!

  3. Thanks to Clear I never had to pay for a mask and always had a stash of fresh ones. They also made it easy to identify other pretentious d bags just like myself all around the country. Totally worth the $119 Amex credit or not.

  4. I see it on my Amex Aspire card. It is not on my Gold, however I did see an offer for 100,000 points to upgrade to Plat. I have had Plat twice in the past couple years, received the bonus both times, however since it is on my offers will I receive it again? I look at the terms and do not see once in a lifetime verbiage.

  5. Great call, Gary! This is super helpful, I was about to re-activate my account and I was excited to find this in my Amex Offers. One question: I was going to do the non-elite Delta price plus family but noticed that Amex requires it to all be one transaction. Any tips on how to re-activate and add another person all in one transaction? Thanks again, great tip!

  6. Nice offer, unfortunately not on any of my 3 Gold Cards (two personal, one business), and not on any of my other cards (Delta, Hilton, green business)

  8. I have it on my free Hilton Amex and my Hilton Aspire. Do you think it would work if I add it to both and then get Clear for my Wife and I? Or do you think we’d get a clawback? Thanks.

  10. I signed up based on this offer, and I have yet to find an opportunity to actually use it. They’re in odd places, and nowhere I need to be — nothing at PHL, one terminal at BOS, only two terminals at JFK, one terminal at EWR. And PreCheck lines are not so bad that it would make sense to go out of your way to a different terminal to use Clear (where that is even possible).

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