Is CLEAR at PHL?
No — Philadelphia (PHL) does not have a CLEAR lane right now. CLEAR operates at more than 60 U.S. airports, but PHL is not one of them, so a CLEAR Plus membership will not speed you up here. The lane that does cut your PHL wait is TSA PreCheck — here is how to use it, and how the three programs compare.
Is CLEAR at PHL right now?
No — there is no CLEAR lane at PHL today. CLEAR runs at 60-plus U.S. airports, and Philadelphiais not on that list, so a CLEAR Plus membership earns you nothing here. Don’t pay for it on PHL’s account alone. We update this page if CLEAR opens a lane at PHL — the current airport list is at clearme.com.
The nearest airports with a CLEAR lane
If you already carry CLEAR Plus — or you are deciding whether to — these are the closest airports to Philadelphia where the membership actually works:
| Airport | From PHL |
|---|---|
| CLEAR at EWR — Newark, NJ | 80 mi |
| CLEAR at BWI — Baltimore, MD | 90 mi |
| CLEAR at JFK — New York, NY | 94 mi |
Straight-line distances. A CLEAR Plus membership works at every CLEAR airport, so it can still pay off if your trips route through one of these.
What gets you through PHL security faster instead
The lane that actually cuts your PHL wait is TSA PreCheck at PHL — the lighter screening where you keep your shoes, belt, and laptop packed. See how big the gap is on the live PHL TSA wait times board, where the standard wait is about 30 minutes and the PreCheck wait is about 8 minutes right now.
CLEAR, PreCheck, or Global Entry at PHL?
Three programs speed you up in different ways — and the first two stack. Here is the quick version:
| Program | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| TSA PreCheck | $76.75–$855 years | Most U.S. domestic flyers |
| Global Entry | $1205 years | International travelers (best value — it includes PreCheck) |
| CLEAR Plus | $209per year | Frequent flyers at CLEAR airports |
Want the deep dive? Read TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR and Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck. Flying internationally from PHL? Check Global Entry at PHL — it bundles PreCheck for not much more.
How CLEAR changes your Leave-By Time
A faster ID check only helps if it shortens the line you are actually in. Rather than guess, set your Leave-By Time: it folds the live PHL security wait, your drive with traffic, and the walk to your gate into one exact time to leave home — so you know when to leave today, not a rule of thumb.
Driving to PHL? Compare PHL airport parking and fold the lot and shuttle into the same Leave-By Time.
See also: is PreCheck open at PHL and how early to arrive at the airport.
Common questions about CLEAR at PHL
Is CLEAR at PHL?
No — PHL does not have a CLEAR lane right now. CLEAR runs at more than 60 U.S. airports, but Philadelphia is not one of them, so a CLEAR Plus membership will not speed you up here. The nearest airports with CLEAR lanes are EWR (80 miles away), BWI (90 miles away), JFK (94 miles away).
What gets me through PHL security faster instead?
TSA PreCheck is the one to get at PHL: it is the lighter screening lane where you keep your shoes, belt, and laptop packed. Check the live PHL wait to see the PreCheck-vs-standard gap before you leave.
Will CLEAR come to PHL?
CLEAR keeps adding airports, so PHL could get a lane later — but plan around what is there today. We update this page when CLEAR opens at PHL.
Is a CLEAR membership still useful if I fly through PHL?
Only if you also fly through CLEAR airports. A CLEAR Plus membership works network-wide, so it can still pay off if PHL is just one stop on trips that also touch CLEAR hubs.