DenverF9Flier

Bravo Frontier! From the Denver Business Journal:

Frontier signs marketing deal with Clear

The basics - Summits get a free 12-month Clear card (current cost: $128), Ascents get an extra month when they buy a card (13 months for the price of a 12 month card). You do have to submit fingerprints, iris scan, and a background check (the gov't already has 2/3 of these on me so I'm not too worked up about it, others may have bigger qualms).

I have noticed at least one airport that I fly (LGA) which has new Clear lanes, but no Elite lanes. This will be a big help! Now the question will be, at airports which have both Elite and Clear lanes, which one will be faster?

Also of interest, a F9 spokesman mentioned to the Journal that they had 8,700 Summit members currently.

bipajr

Clear, hands down. At least from my first experience using it. I got Clear free with the Hyatt program. I tried in DEN on Monday, after clearing my fingerprint and ID a Clear employee takes your stuff in the grey bins directly to the front of the X-ray line. (yes, you cut the security line then you cut the line waiting for the x-ray) It is like a valet service. Somewhat embarrassing but cool. I may have been in line for a total of 60 sec. As you in DEN know on a Monday morning that is pretty awesome!!

DenverF9Flier

Very cool about skipping the x-ray line. I'm curious if that's just in DEN, or a part of the Clear program. I ask because I do a lot of flying out of LGA, where there is a Clear station in the main terminal, but I don't know how they could possibly send you straight to the machines. The Clear station is on the left side of the pre-id-check line, and seems to just funnel you into the normal x-ray line, where there not really any open area that could be used to "cut in front" of the others waiting, the way there is in DEN. Maybe it's on an airport-by-airport basis? Regardless, it will be very useful.

Besides the fact that they carry your stuff for you, are you treated any differently? Shoes and coats still have to come off, laptops out, TSA agent attitudes still wildly unpredictable? If there is no difference in the actual screening process, does Clear actually help improve the level of security, or just provide a "faster" experience to the individual, while not helping the overall "system"?

bipajr

Good questions, not sure what kind of improved level of security there is. Why do I need to show my ID if I passed a background check then passed a fingerprint check on site?

I can't speak to other airports, my business takes me to airports not serviced by clear.

Shoes and coats come off, no real difference to the screening process other than you feel like a VIP cutting the X-ray line. Certainly faster for the individual (at this time) but not sure about the system. I am not sure it was designed to speed up the system. I think it was designed to make it faster for those willing to pay, kind of like E470. I wonder when there are 20 or more clear passengers on line will they be have the personnel to take your stuff up to the front, etc? Not sure.

hotelierLA

I think you hit the nail on the head with this point. IIRC, at one time, Clear travelers did receive perks based on the fact that they passed a background check. For example, previously they would not be subjected to secondary screening (SSSS). That is no longer the case. There is a great deal of discussion on the merits and flaws of the program in the Travel Safety/Security forum.

Nonetheless, if any of my loyalty programs offered a complimentary membership in Clear, I'd likely go for it.

F9sjackrules

Clear puts you at the front of the x-ray line everywhere - even at LGA. I've used it weekly at LGA since the clear lanes opened this summer. They push through the other passengers and put at the head of the x-ray line. You are still subjected to the shoe carnival and the kippie bags, however you are not subjected to secondary screenings should you get the kiSSSS of death on your boarding pass.

It is an odd experience though - people look at you and will even ask why you get to skip ahead. The clear people handle it though, and simply state that as a registered traveler Mr. F9sjackrules isn't subject to waiting in the security line like other pax.

DenverF9Flier

Wow! I can't wait to get my card.

What a great marketing opportunity for the Clear folks to the people standing in line... seeing people pushed in front of you, then finding out that you too can can get the same treatment for the relatively cheap $128/yr... I have to admit, now that I know what it gives you, if F9 wasn't picking up the tab, I'd pay it myself immediately.

JaggedMind

On my return to DEN on Thursday I saw a sign in the bridge checkpoint in front of one of the bin tables stating that the line was shared with registered travelers and that they have priority. I didn't hang around to look for the Clear entry point. I did stand on level 6 looking over the north checkpoint and it was not obvious where to go for Clear. It looked like the far right x-ray was it due to the desk and partition, but no obvious advertising.

No word yet from my company on covering Clear for us travelers. I guess we need to wait till our CEO gets a RT cutting in front of him

German Expat

Does anybody know whether you can already sign up for free clear as a Summit ? And if yes do I just walk up to their sign up station and show my card ?

German Expat

I just got the email from Frontier.

Registration information is on

www.FlyClear.com/Summit

German Expat

I received my card today and will try it out in 2 days (Sunday)

loboclone

Got my Clear last week, haven't used yet. ATL has no clear lines, what a mess. Will letters really help as Clear site proposes.

zdave

This was not my experience yesterday downstairs at DEN. I had bought a one-way to PBI via ATL on Sunday using the corporate card and that earned me the SSSS. I was subjected to the full patdown, bag search, etc. They took me straight to the front of the line but nothing more.

The two times I have used Clear, I've had to show my ID and boarding pass 3 times before I go through the detector, and once afterwards. Elite is probably close to as fast, plus I can bring my wife through the elite line when we are on leisure travel, and I don't think Clear would allow that. Unless they add more airports that I travel to, I won't renew my free subscription.