Who needs Clear with Premier Lanes!
Jun 24, 2009, 2:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL & (gasp) AVP (NEPA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 787
Who needs Clear with Premier Lanes!
UA is taking advantage of Clear shutting down... 
Can't say its quite the same...
Can't say its quite the same...
Jun 24, 2009, 2:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
Jun 24, 2009, 2:49 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, SPG Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 1,970
But you also can't say it's not the next best thing.
Jun 24, 2009, 2:52 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
At airports like SJC that have no elite line Clear was a huge savings of time. Especially for the 6-7 AM flights when it seemed half of San Jose was in the security line. With Clear always made it through in about 2 minutes. Wonder if UA will use the Clear lane at SJC for elites. Guess I will find out next flight on the 3rd.
Jun 24, 2009, 2:55 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
At airports like SJC that have no elite line Clear was a huge savings of time. Especially for the 6-7 AM flights when it seemed half of San Jose was in the security line. With Clear always made it through in about 2 minutes. Wonder if UA will use the Clear lane at SJC for elites. Guess I will find out next flight on the 3rd.
Jun 24, 2009, 2:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 485
There are many occaisions during the work week that the elite lines at DEN take longer than the non-elite lines. The non-elite lines get to fan out across up to 6 ID checkers while the elite lane only gets one. Add to that all of the airline/airport employees and wheelchair brigade that get to cut the line at the X-ray machine on the elite line really had me considering Clear a few weeks ago. I'm obviously glad I did not pull that trigger!
Jun 24, 2009, 2:58 pm
#7
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
And for UA at SFO, the elite line is also often quite slow at busy times. Presumably, with UA selling access more aggressively, it'll get even worse.
Jun 24, 2009, 2:59 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BUR/LAX
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 2,505
MCO is another airport where Clear was a distinct advantage. Also at Elite heavy airports like SFO, the Clear lane could be much faster.
Jun 24, 2009, 3:01 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
There are many occaisions during the work week that the elite lines at DEN take longer than the non-elite lines. The non-elite lines get to fan out across up to 6 ID checkers while the elite lane only gets one. Add to that all of the airline/airport employees and wheelchair brigade that get to cut the line at the X-ray machine on the elite line really had me considering Clear a few weeks ago. I'm obviously glad I did not pull that trigger!
Jun 24, 2009, 3:16 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,866
youre not forced to a particular lane. after the security podium pick the least populated line while everyone else is still queued behind security
Jun 24, 2009, 3:22 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,220
Color me shocked that UA was this timely with an ad campaign in response to the CLEAR shutdown. Wow.
Jun 24, 2009, 3:28 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: LAS-DEN
Programs: WN CP & B-list. Disillusioned fmr UA-1P/2P,F9-Ascent; Fmr AA-Plat,CO-Gold,NW-Silver,TWA-Elite
Posts: 1,630
If you were only a 2P and in Denver, you needed Clear, or first level status at another airline, such as A-list on WN, Gold on AA, etc.
Jun 24, 2009, 3:32 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
ORD is the most irritating - I've gotten stuck in the elite line before, watching the regular line move much faster. As milepig points out, once you're in line far enough to tell, it's quite a swim upstream to get out and re-enter the other line.
Still, I never saw CLEAR as a good value at $179. Even when Marriott offered it for free, I didn't see it as good enough value to go through the hassle of getting it knowing that I'd later have to cancel it and reverse a credit card charge. Sure, I stood in a couple of 10-minute queues at SJC and MCO where CLEAR would have saved me 8 minutes, but it's very rare that I attempt to cut a flight extremely close except occasionally in my home airport (MCI, where the ratio of security to pax is comparatively high due to the corral setup of the gates).
Still, I never saw CLEAR as a good value at $179. Even when Marriott offered it for free, I didn't see it as good enough value to go through the hassle of getting it knowing that I'd later have to cancel it and reverse a credit card charge. Sure, I stood in a couple of 10-minute queues at SJC and MCO where CLEAR would have saved me 8 minutes, but it's very rare that I attempt to cut a flight extremely close except occasionally in my home airport (MCI, where the ratio of security to pax is comparatively high due to the corral setup of the gates).
Jun 24, 2009, 3:54 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oregon
Programs: AA EXP, AS 75K, UA 1MM Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Plat, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 4,001
At airports like SJC that have no elite line Clear was a huge savings of time. Especially for the 6-7 AM flights when it seemed half of San Jose was in the security line. With Clear always made it through in about 2 minutes. Wonder if UA will use the Clear lane at SJC for elites. Guess I will find out next flight on the 3rd.
And if you think SJC is bad, try OAK!
