United Airlines cuts Clear priority security benefit for top-tier elites

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Beginning in May, there will be one less benefit of being a top-tier United Airlines elite member.

The Chicago-based airline emailed Premier 1K flyers this week to announce that it would cut the free Clear Plus membership effective May 1.

Existing Clear Plus members who have already signed up for complimentary access will continue to be able to use this service until their membership renews. When it does, Premier 1K members will receive a $70 discount on membership fees, bringing an annual Clear subscription to $129 based on current rates.

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Going forward, only United Global Services members will receive free Clear membership; every other elite member must pay for access.

There are no changes coming to the Clear discounts for other Premier members or those receiving discounted rates via United's cobranded credit cards.

"United MileagePlus members receive discounted pricing for an annual CLEAR Plus membership," a United spokesperson said in a statement confirming the move. "Changes will be made to the pricing structure effective May 1 for any MileagePlus members either renewing their CLEAR Plus Membership or enrolling in the service for the first time."

The change will leave Delta Air Lines as the only airline to offer free Clear access to top-tier elite members, as it offers a complimentary membership for its Diamond Medallion flyers. (Invite-only Delta 360 members also enjoy free Clear access, just like United's invite-only Global Services members.)

While this move undoubtedly stings, it comes as Clear has somewhat become a victim of its own success. With more and more flyers eligible for its priority screening lanes, there are now longer lines to use it at many airports. That, coupled with an increase in the number of random ID checks, means that flyers could be better off just using the regular TSA PreCheck or priority security lanes at some airports.

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Personally, I haven't used a Clear lane in months. I haven't found Clear saves me enough time to warrant using the service, especially when I might still need to show my ID as part of a random check.

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Instead, I've been impressed by the rollout of the Transportation Security Administration's touchless ID service and look forward to seeing it expand to more airports.

That said, there are certainly some instances when Clear can still save the day and deliver a much more efficient security screening. For me, having Clear is like an insurance policy — I'll only use it when it actually saves time.

For more about Clear, be sure to check out TPG's dedicated guide. And remember, there are a handful of American Express credit cards that include free Clear access, so be sure to sign up with one of them to minimize your out-of-pocket cost.

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