CLEAR, an increasingly popular airport security program in the United States, recently announced a new innovation launching at major U.S. airports for the first time ever.

On August 19th, CLEAR launched its “eGates” product with an official statement on the program website. The eGates will allow CLEAR+ members to bypass any security checkpoint lines and proceed directly to baggage screening.

How do CLEAR eGates Work?

With eGates, CLEAR members will enter the dedicated CLEAR lanes, as are currently offered at participating airports. After scanning their boarding passes and approaching the eGate, biometric face recognition technology will be used to verify the passenger before they are cleared to the bag screening area.

CLEAR is confident that this advancement will ease what is arguably the most stressful part of the airport experience. By 2030, current U.S. airport traveler numbers are expected to have risen by another million, necessitating the need for seamless airport experiences. CLEAR says that its new eGates product represents its latest effort to transform the way people move through airports and beyond.

This new initiative comes at an especially important time for the U.S. travel industry. The 2026 FIFA World Cup — despite being held at venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico — is expected to draw six to eight million visitors to the States alone. Airports and cities are already bracing for this surge, further underscoring the need for efficient airport and transit systems overall.

The Catch

However, the eGates product has a catch. This is only available to CLEAR+ members, which, barring eligible discounts, costs $209 a year. That represents a $20 upcharge from the standard CLEAR membership of $189 per annum.

CLEAR overall is designed to facilitate the airport security process. Although all CLEAR customers pass through the same screening checkpoints as non-members, CLEAR offers accelerated waiting lanes at participating airports.

Read also: TSA PreCheck vs. Clear: Which one is better?

However, for maximum speed, many travelers opt to purchase both TSA PreCheck and CLEAR memberships, as a combination of the two perks is available.