As has been widely reported, the situation with Transportation Security Administration checkpoints and staffing at airports across the country currently ranges from not great to downright terrible as the partial government shutdown drags on.
At my home airport, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), things have been worse than average, with screening lines having wait times of up to 270 minutes (more than four hours) today alone. and both TSA PreCheck and Clear They were closed this afternoon when I was scheduled to fly, making it increasingly likely that I would be stuck waiting in a long line.
But miraculously I was able to get through for only $99, thanks to a Delete Concierge Express Appointment I booked a few days ago. Here’s what you need to know about the program.
Related: Save time at the airport: These 4 cards cover the cost of Clear+
What is Clear Concierge?
Clear Concierge is a complementary service available to Clear+ members at approximately 30 airports. Pricing for the service starts at $99 per adult, per use (children are eligible to join at no additional cost).
When you make a Delete concierge reservationA Clear Ambassador will escort you to the front of the Clear+ line for a truly expedited security check. There is also a version of the service, available at a higher price, that helps you carry your luggage to the boarding gate.
The Clear Concierge service requires a reservation and a Clear+ membership, along with an additional $99 fee per use. (But remember, there are several cards, including the American Express Platinum® Cardwhich includes a statement credit of up to $209 per year to Clear+*, which may cover the cost of your membership).
*Clear+ requires registration and is subject to automatic renewal.
You should book Clear Concierge at least 30 minutes before you need it, but in practice I would book much further in advance as time slots can and do fill up.
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Today, faced with waits of more than four hours for the two open security areas at IAH, the $99 Clear Concierge fee was the best money I could have spent.
My experience using Clear Concierge
When IAH sent out a message on social media last night saying that Clear would be closed today, I thought the chances of my Clear Concierge Express appointment going as planned went down with the rest of the service.
However, to my surprise, I received a text at 4:30 am from an IAH Clear Ambassador with contact information and instructions on how to meet later that day. I arrived to find several Clear Ambassadors standing in an otherwise closed Clear line (supposedly closed at the city’s discretion). And although the rest of the airport unfortunately had no real alternative to the four-hour security lines, because I had an appointment with Clear Concierge, they were able to help me every step of the way. I went through security in just two minutes.
Related: Clear’s new ‘e-gates’ now found at US airports
In a nutshell
I have every trick in the TSA security screening book: TSA Precheck, Global Entry, TSA PreCheck Contactless ID and Delete+. However, none of them were enough to help me this afternoon at IAH, as the partial lockdown has closed all but two general lines of control.
Choosing to pay $99 for a Clear Concierge Express reservation was absolutely the best money I could have spent as it helped me avoid that situation.
I don’t know if Clear Concierge will continue to operate at eligible airports if the current TSA situation continues. This was the first day that the normal Clear+ lines were closed at IAH, and while they were still able to honor this reservation, I imagine that is subject to change.
But while it works, and even after the lockdown ends, if you’re looking to ensure a smooth path through security (or even out the door), consider paying for Clear Concierge. I’m now a big fan of it as it saved me four hours in line and an untold amount of stress. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to take my flight today.
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