Charts A Course

Have you seen the news videos of the terrible, long security lines during the Holiday Season. Those poor people. This happens every year! Please, please, please read how the below services allow you to skip security lines and ensure you stay “Merry” all year long.

CLEAR: Join millions of people employing biometrics like fingerprints and eye scans to swiftly verify travelers at airports. Skip ahead of the line by replacing the Identification step. Clear has its own Line and usually no one in it. The company is present in 55+ airports across the United States. The exclusive membership is $185 annually, or well worth it for a few trips a year to mitigate the family complaints. You can sign up for the service while at the airport or create an online account and complete the scans before your departure.

TSA PreCheck: Hate having to walk in bare feet or socks across that gross airport carpet or dull tile? Prefer keeping belts and jackets on while keeping laptops safely tucked in luggage? By enrolling in this program, you skip all the unpleasant steps and travelers experience an average wait time of under ten minutes at security checkpoints. This US government run service is available in over 200 U.S. airports with participation from over 90 airlines. This provides access to domestic and international departures.

The five-year membership costs $85, but numerous credit cards and loyalty programs cover this expense. The one drawback is that a scheduled appointment at the airport or a partner location is required for paperwork and a picture.

BONUS: For international travelers, investigate Global Entry: This U.S. Customs and Border Protection program pre-clears travelers, allowing them to bypass customs lines and head directly to automatic kiosks for a hassle-free declaration process.

Members scan their passport or resident card at the kiosk, place a fingerprint on the scanner, complete their customs declaration, and grab a transaction receipt to swiftly proceed to baggage claim. No more waiting in 500 person lines!

The best part is that the enrollment fee $100 for a five-year membership also includes TSA PreCheck benefits, or a savings of $50. There are many credit cards offer rebates to customers covering the application fee.

Safe Travel!