FlyClear Membership

[Eli]

For those of you who signed up (thanks to a post by Dan) last year for a free Hyatt Gold account, which then allowed you to get a free year of flyclear membership (where you get to bypass security lines at many airports), you probably got or are getting soon an e-mail from flyclear stating that your account is due to expire soon. You should know the following:

• Make sure you call them and tell them to set your account not to auto-renew, or else you will get charged automatically (unless of course you want to be renewed)
• If you are still a Hyatt Gold member which presumably you are, simply call flyclear's customer service and request an additional year. The Hyatt Gold membership entitles you to the initial year free, and an additional year.
• Even if you cannot for some reason extend it another year, the way flyclear works is that you are in their system for 90 days after your membership expires, and for the first 45 days of those 90 you can still use your card with no problems.
• If you are a Starwood Platinum member (congratulations Dan, welcome to the club) you can also get a year free. If you sign up using my promo code (DSCAM1180743) you and I will both get a free extra month. Go to http://www.spg.com/clear to apply and then by checkout enter my referral code. There is still another 3 days to do this. It expires Feb 28th, 2009.

[Eli]

I finally got a chance to use my FlyClear card just now in LGA - Delta terminal. Not only do you not have to wait in line, but they walk with you directly to the metal detector where they cut that line and let you in. I was so amazed that I completely forgot to take off my shoes and left a spare battery in my pocket which was a little embarrassing considering I am a frequent flyer.

All in all it was a nice first Clear experience and I'm happy I signed up for it. I'm also happy I didn't pay for it for 2 years!

[Chaikel]

Just got this email
"CLEAR is back! Receive a Complimentary 45-day Membership"

[Chaikel]

Which reminds me of the question I had originally with clear: They take your fingerprints, retina scan, picture, SSN, as if they're doing major security analysis on you, buy you still make you go through the metal detector and xray. So whats the point, why don't they just charge $179 for an "Express pass"? and really, how much faster is it than the preferred line?

[steve2]

Which reminds me of the question I had originally with clear: They take your fingerprints, retina scan, picture, SSN, as if they're doing major security analysis on you, buy you still make you go through the metal detector and xray. So whats the point, why don't they just charge $179 for an "Express pass"? and really, how much faster is it than the preferred line?

 the problem is Clear was very limited eg just 1 concourse at EWRs Term B nothing at the other 2 at T-b and nothing at A or C

 That said it saved me twice at JFKs Term 4 (intl) the reg line was 2 miles long, I just walked up to the Clear desk they ushered me to the machine 1-2-3 was done and then they brought me over to TSA and we jumped the whole line even those who already had their stuff on the xray belt to go thru

that said till its alot more wide spread I wouldnt pay for it and maybe even not then

[Eli]

The old Clear lanes are not coming back. They will have a lane in MCO and DEN for the time being. Whoever used to be a CLEAR member will keep whatever was remaining on his old membership but you need to re-sign up using the link they sent you. The period starts from when you use CLEAR once so if you had 6 months left and you only start using it in 12 months from now you'll get a 6-month membership from then.

[Chaikel]

But I still dont get the point of the whole background check etc. Just call it an express lane.

[Eli]

I agree.