Clear to begin registration for new facial identity verification process next week
Starting Nov. 30, Clear will begin verifying Plus users in preparation for Clear’s NextGen Identity+ technology to enable face as the primary biometric for membership identification, a Clear spokesperson confirmed to TPG.
Clear CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker announced earlier this month that Clear Plus users and verified members will be able to identify themselves via their face, eliminating the need to provide additional biometrics or stop at a Clear Pod before being escorted to the Transportation Security Administration lane.
This should allow for a faster Clear experience for users at airports when rolled out over the next year.
To use this NextGen Identity+ technology, Clear members should check their email, prompting them to create a one-time password to verify their phone number.
After this step, look out for further instructions to bring a valid form of identification, such as an unexpired driver’s license, state ID or passport, the next time you are at the airport. Note that passports will allow for the quickest upgrade experience, according to a Clear spokesperson. Once an updated photo is provided, Clear members can use this new technology when available and promoted. For this part of the registration process, Clear users should allot a few extra minutes at the airport when they intend to register.
“Clear members simply need to click the link they received on their phone to begin the process as they head to the airport,” said the spokesperson. “The one-time upgrade process will take just an extra minute or two at a Clear Enrollment Pod to avoid not affecting the Clear verification lane or wait times for travelers.”
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Currently, Clear automates most users’ identity verification steps in the TSA screening process. As a secure identity platform, Clear members go through a separate security lane with dedicated kiosks rather than waiting in line for a TSA agent to review their license or passport.
“[This] will allow Clear Plus members to verify their identity with their face (instead of iris or fingerprints), eliminating the need for members to stop at a Clear Pod and seamlessly integrating into TSA equipment for friction-free entry into physical screening,” a Clear spokesperson previously told TPG. “Our vision is to keep you moving through the Clear Lane where you don’t break your stride.”
As of November, Clear is available at 54 U.S. airports, as well as various stadiums and other large venues, and there are nearly 19 million members nationwide. Reserve powered by Clear, which allows travelers to book timed entry through TSA security based on flight departure time, is currently available at 20 airports across the U.S., Canada and Europe.
An annual membership to Clear costs $189 annually, but some credit cards cover the cost.
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