North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) became the 50th US airport to embrace CLEAR’s identity verification technology this week, coming on the heels of launching at California’s Long Beach Airport (LGB) and an expansion of service at Tennessee’s Nashville International Airport (BNA).
The latest opening at RDU, its 50th, adds to a growing list of major US airports – from Seattle to Boston and Los Angeles to Miami – to offer identity verification technology designed to ease and expedite the passenger security screening process.
Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, said,
“RDU is proud to partner with CLEAR to provide travelers another option to expedite the security screening process. RDU’s commitment to leveraging technology to provide our guests with a world-class experience makes CLEAR an excellent fit.”
The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority operates the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, a top five in passenger sanctification in large North American airports, according to a 2022 J.D. Power study. CLEAR and RDU officials expect the announced partnership to add 44 jobs and generate approximately $2.6 million in local economic activity in the greater RDU area.
The benefits of CLEAR
CLEAR, founded in 2010, has a mission to facilitate what it calls 'friction-free experiences' for its members as they live, work and travel. For air travelers, this means building and placing technology in dedicated lanes at airports that allow its members to verify their identity with their eyes or fingers, eliminating the need to take out a wallet or driver’s license to provide identification.
Once biometrically identified, a CLEAR Ambassador escorts members through a dedicated lane and directly to TSA, saving time waiting in line at security checkpoints – an infamous bottleneck for air travelers.
Caryn Seidman-Becker, CEO and co-founder of CLEAR, said,
“As an identity company obsessed with creating friction-free experiences, CLEAR is excited to launch at our 50th airport and help passengers traveling through RDU safely and easily affirm their identity at the security checkpoint.”
Faster travel for all
CLEAR does not take the place of security checkpoints in place and managed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) but instead allows its members to verify their identity by their eyes or fingers and then proceed directly to TSA for the remainder of the security screening without further waiting.
Travelers interested in utilizing CLEAR at its growing list of 50 US airports can begin the process online and then visit an airport utilizing CLEAR to complete the process, which includes eye or finger scanning for future identification.
CLEAR operates as an opt-in membership at approximately $16 per month, with discounts available for Delta or United fliers or American Express card members. Other discount programs are available for government officials, active military, and veterans. Up to three family members can be added to an existing CLEAR account for family travel.
With travel demand at all-time highs and traditional security lines growing longer – often managed by just a few security personnel checking identification - CLEAR can save valuable time for the busy traveler, especially as it continues to grow its footprint of serviceable airports, a list it added to this week.