Clear expands e-gates to 53 airports, plans nearly full rollout by end of year

The next time you use Clear to get through airport security, it might be faster than you've come to expect.Over the course of this year, Clear has been expanding its new "e-gates" to dozens of airports across the country.It's a more streamlined setup that allows passengers to fly through without stopping at one of its famous blue kiosks.As of this week, Clear had deployed its new automated gates to 53 airports across the country.By the end of the year, the tech is expected to be in place at nearly all the airports where the company offers its flagship Clear Plus service.That's certainly good news for travelers looking to speed through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints — especially as the busy holiday travel rush looms.Improving Clear with new techIn the past, travelers hoping to use Clear at TSA would walk up to the checkpoint, then peel off to get their identity verified with a quick photo. Then, a Clear staffer would escort them to the front of the TSA line.BING GUAN/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGESWhile it's obviously a shortcut, the service hasn't been without pain points.Sometimes, flyers would arrive to find no open kiosks, or have to wait for Clear staffers to be free...