CLEAR Auto Renewal

CLEAR can be a wonderful benefit for regular travelers. It has saved my butt a couple of times after cutting it a little too close when arriving at the airport. The CLEAR lane combined with TSA Pre-Check has you gliding through security in minutes (most of the time – oh hi Atlanta). CLEAR has an often-overlooked “gotcha” billing practice, so I wanted to go over the downsides of the CLEAR auto renewal. I also will go over a couple of workarounds to avoid an unexpected bill and the annoying quirks of CLEAR's billing set up.

Signing Up For CLEAR

First we should discuss how you can get a CLEAR membership for “free.” It’s well-known among points and miles hobbyists that several Amex cards offer a credit to reimburse your CLEAR purchase ($199). These cards include:

• Amex Platinum Card
• Amex Business Platinum Card
• Amex Centurion Card
• Amex Green Card
• Amex Hilton Honors Aspire card

The good news is that there is no need to remember to enroll in this benefit in your account, like some other Amex credits require. You just need to sign up at CLEAR's website, pay with your eligible card, and your credit will post within a few days. You can sign up at any of the CLEAR locations at the airport as well and this will trigger the credit. It is probably more time efficient to sign up ahead of your flight though.

In addition to the annual (calendar year) benefit for the above cards, watch for CLEAR Amex Offers on other Amex cards. I have multiple cards with the annual benefit, so I will even use my cards to pay for others' memberships. One of the perks of the points and miles hobby is helping others travel better too! It doesn't hurt when my generosity pairs up with some free Uber cash either.

Other Discounts For CLEAR Memberships

Outside of the cards with full CLEAR membership credits, there are some other ways to snag a discounted CLEAR membership:

• Delta Diamond Medallion and United Premier 1K members get CLEAR for free
• United Premier Platinum/Gold/Silver members and U.S. credit card holders can purchase CLEAR for $159/year
• All United MileagePlus members can purchase CLEAR for $189/year
• Delta Silver/Gold/Platinum Medallion and SkyMiles American Express cardholders can purchase CLEAR for $159/year
• All Delta SkyMiles members can purchase CLEAR for $189/year

CLEAR Gets a Little Blurry Come Renewal Time

CLEAR accounts are automatically set to renew the following year with the credit card on file. While you can opt out of auto-renewal when logged into your account, the problem is when you try to reactivate your CLEAR account after your membership has lapsed. A couple years ago, my wife used an Amex offer on one of her cards that doesn’t have the annual benefit. She opted out of auto renewal so that we weren't billed on a card with no credit. We decided to just let the account lapse since we didn't have immediate travel plans. When she eventually went to reactivate her account using my Amex card with a credit attached, CLEAR’s website offered no option to change the card. It did not even show what card was on file. They just hid that information and tried to force her to agree to charge the card on file.

Chatting with customer support proved fruitless, and after waiting on hold forever, she emailed customer service. Finally, they offered a free 1-month trial to reactivate the account, giving her access to update the method of payment. They still attempted to charge the card on file anyways. It turned out that the card on file was already canceled, but it got me thinking about how problematic this process is. Once the card was charged and the credit posted from Amex, we went back into the account to remove the card and guess what? You can’t delete your card. You can only change it to a different one. 

Is This Really a Problem?

Do you like having no choice in how to pay for something? This is a first for me. The auto renewal process is nice for someone who wants to “set it and forget it,” but removing our choice of payment method once your membership lapses is insane. 

The Workaround For The CLEAR Auto Renewal Issue

The best defense is a good offense. Once you activate your account, make sure to opt out of auto renewal. Then, send an email to memberservices@clearme.com and ask them to remove the card on file. If you have used your card to pay for someone else’s membership, make sure they do the same, or you’ll have an even bigger headache to deal with next year. It's that simple and easy. This CLEAR strategy puts the control back in your hands, and you won't fall victim to their shady billing practices.

If you decide to reactivate your account after your year is up, and you can not adjust the payment method, then calling in can be a workaround. The number to call is 1-855-CLEARME (253-2763). This is how Mark was able to change the payment method on his wife's account.

You can also take a card with a credit available to the airport the next time you are traveling. When they scan your eyes / fingers to pull up your account, it will say that it needs to be reactivated. You can give them the new card (hopefully with a credit attached) and this will re-up you for another year. Just remember to turn off the auto renewal again once you get home.

CLEAR Strategy: ToP Thoughts

CLEAR is a convenient benefit you can get for free with a select number of premium Amex cards and airline status. It’s worth taking advantage of the benefit, but use this CLEAR strategy to steer clear of their predatory business tactics. 

If you have had similar problems with CLEAR auto renewal, let us know about it in the ToP Facebook group!