TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR vs Global Entry: which is worth it in 2026?

The 30-second answer

Match the program to how you actually fly.

• Fly mostly inside the U.S.? Get TSA PreCheck. Best value, and it covers the part of the trip you do every time.
• Ever fly abroad? Get Global Entry. It includes PreCheck and clears you through customs fast on the way home, for about $8 more a year.
• Fly often through crowded hubs? Add CLEAR on top of PreCheck or Global Entry — only if your airport has a CLEAR lane and the lines there run long.

The big three at a glance

The fastest way to see the trade-off: cost, what each one speeds up, where it works, and who it suits.

What each one actually does

They speed up different parts of the same walk to your gate.

TSA PreCheck — faster screening

Run by the TSA. It opens a dedicated lane where the screening itself is quicker: your laptop and quart-size liquids bag stay inside your carry-on, and you keep a light jacket and belt on. The line is usually shorter than the standard one, too.

Global Entry — PreCheck plus a fast customs lane

Run by Customs and Border Protection. It does everything PreCheck does for U.S. security, and adds a fast path through customs when you re-enter the country — you skip the paper form and the long line and use a kiosk or the app instead.

CLEAR Plus — the front of the line

CLEAR is a brand, not a TSA program. At the checkpoint you step up to a CLEAR kiosk, confirm your identity with a quick eye or face scan, and an attendant walks you past the ID-check podium to the front of the screening line. CLEAR does not change the screening you go through — it just gets you there faster.

What you really pay

The sticker prices look far apart, but the per-year math is closer than it seems — and a travel card can erase the cost entirely. PreCheck runs $76.75 to $85 for five years depending on which enrollment provider you use, which is roughly $16 a year. Global Entry is $120 for five years, about $24 a year. CLEAR Plus is $209 a year.

Two money notes worth knowing: PreCheck renewals cost less than the first sign-up — about $70 online — and CLEAR sells a bundle that throws in PreCheck enrollment, so PreCheck can effectively cost you $0 when paired with CLEAR.

Speed: which is actually fastest

Each one trims a different bottleneck, so the "fastest" answer depends on which line slows you down. PreCheck shortens the screening itself. CLEAR shortens the wait to reachscreening. Global Entry adds a fast customs lane on the way home. At a crowded hub, the quickest trip through is the combo: CLEAR to the front, then PreCheck for the quick screening. At a quiet airport, PreCheck alone often clears you in a couple of minutes — which is why it helps to check today's live wait before you spend on more.

Will it work at your airport?

Coverage is where these three split hardest. PreCheck lanes are at nearly every U.S. airport, and Global Entry carries that same PreCheck benefit with you. CLEAR is only at a few dozen airports, so confirm your airport has a CLEAR lane before you buy. The quickest way to check what your airport actually offers — and how much time the faster lane saves there today — is the per-airport PreCheck page:

• TSA PreCheck at ATL
• TSA PreCheck at LAX
• TSA PreCheck at ORD
• TSA PreCheck at DFW
• TSA PreCheck at DEN
• TSA PreCheck at JFK

Flying from somewhere else? Find your airport and open its PreCheck page to see the live lane wait.

Which one is worth it for you

Match the pass to how you fly.

• Occasional domestic flyer: TSA PreCheck. Best value, and the PreCheck line is usually short already.
• International traveler: Global Entry. It includes PreCheck and speeds customs on the way home, for only a little more.
• One trip abroad every few years: still Global Entry. The extra cost over PreCheck is about $8 a year, and it pays off the first time you skip the customs line.
• Frequent flyer at a crowded hub: CLEAR on top of PreCheck or Global Entry — the front-of-line skip earns its keep when the standard line is long.
• A card covers CLEAR: add CLEAR. If a travel card refunds the fee, the math gets easy.
• You rarely fly:maybe none yet. Check your airport's live wait first — some days the regular line is already short.

How to enroll

All three follow a short path: apply, prove who you are, then add your number to every booking. Plan a few weeks of lead time so it is ready before you fly.

• TSA PreCheck: apply online, then stop by an enrollment center for a five-minute fingerprint and photo. You get a Known Traveler Number to add to your reservations.
• Global Entry:apply, then do a short interview — you can often finish it right when you land from a trip abroad, called Enrollment on Arrival. Approval covers both security and customs.
• CLEAR Plus: you can finish most of the sign-up right at the airport kiosk on your next trip.

Go deeper: the head-to-head guides

Already narrowed it to two? These pairwise guides dig into each match-up: TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR weighs faster screening against front-of-line, and Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck shows why the customs lane usually tips it toward Global Entry.

Before you go: REAL ID and 3-1-1 still apply

None of these passes change what you bring or the ID you show. You still need a REAL ID or a passport to fly — see whether you need a REAL ID to fly — though a Global Entry card doubles as an acceptable ID at the checkpoint. Liquids still follow the 3-1-1 rule, so it helps to know what you can bring through security. And whichever pass you carry, time your departure to today's live wait so you still get through with room to breathe — here is how early to arrive at the airport.

Does Global Entry include TSA PreCheck?

Yes. When you are approved for Global Entry you get a Known Traveler Number that works in the TSA PreCheck lane on U.S. flights. You do not apply or pay for PreCheck separately — it is built in.

Is CLEAR worth it if you already have TSA PreCheck?

Only if you fly often through busy airports that have a CLEAR lane, or a travel card covers the $209. CLEAR walks you to the front of the line, and at many airports it drops you right into the PreCheck lane — so it pairs with PreCheck rather than replacing it.

Can you use all three at once?

Yes, and the fastest combo is Global Entry — which already includes PreCheck — plus CLEAR to reach the front of the line. For most travelers that is more than they need, but frequent flyers at crowded hubs sometimes carry both.

Do any of these count as a REAL ID?

Your Global Entry card is an acceptable ID at the security checkpoint, but TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are not ID on their own — you still need a REAL ID or a passport to fly. PreCheck and CLEAR speed your trip through security; they do not prove who you are.