You can book your spot in the security line before you travel at these 8 US airports, and it costs nothing
- CLEAR's "Reserve" service lets you book a place in the security line for free.
- There are 19 participating airports, and eight of them are in the US, including Denver, Newark, and LAX.
As a frequent flier, I'm always looking for ways to make the nightmare that is the airport somewhat more bearable.
I signed up for TSA PreCheck. I downloaded an app that tells me if my flight's delayed before the airline does. I'm that person who never fails to check in 24 hours in advance and gets to the airport early to give myself ample time — especially for the security line. (Even with PreCheck, on a couple of occasions in the past year, I've found that line to be closed or the wait to be longer than I'd expected.)
But today I learned there's a way to skip ahead in the security line at select airports without paying a cent.
Turns out, CLEAR, the identity verification service, offers a free "Reserve" service that lets you book a spot in the security line at 19 airports in the world — eight of which are in the US — in advance.
According to CLEAR's website, you get a 20-minute window with a reservation and can book for up to 10 people if you're traveling in a group, though it's worth noting that everyone will need to arrive together to make the reservation. ("Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" cast, take note.)
And it's not new; CLEAR has been offering the service since 2021, according to Travel + Leisure.
So, who can use it?
Reserve is open to anyone, including those who aren't CLEAR members, and even TSA PreCheck members like me — though CLEAR's website notes that the Reserve service will only take you through the regular security screening process so you won't be routed through to the PreCheck screening area if that's important to you.
Of course, you'll also want to make sure the airport you're flying out of actually offers the service.
You'll want to check CLEAR's website for the most up-to-date list, but here are the participating airports as of June 2023 in North America:
Eight of those airports are in the US:
- Denver International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
And if you're flying out of Europe, there are six participating airports:
OK, so how do I use it?
CLEAR's website spells it out simply:
Go to CLEAR's Reserve page and select the airport you're flying out of.
Then, type in information about your flight and any passengers you're traveling with. Choose a convenient time window to go through security.
Check everything is correct, then confirm the reservation.
You'll then get a confirmation email containing a QR code.
Take the QR code with you to the security line at the designated time — if you're traveling without Wi-Fi internationally, I'd recommend screenshotting the QR code — and then scan it at the Reserve Lane to be expedited through the line.
While I might not give it a go being a TSA PreCheck member, it's a nice backup option to rely on if the PreCheck line is ever closed if I'm traveling through a particularly busy airport.
And if you don't have TSA PreCheck or CLEAR, this service sounds like a no-brainer.