Clear's JFK Terminal 7 lanes shuttered just weeks after opening

Just weeks after bringing its expedited verification lanes to Terminal 7 inside New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Clear has halted its service inside that terminal.

It was just over a month ago that Clear brought its ultra-fast security experience to Terminal 7 which meant it was operating in three JFK terminals at the time.

Now, though, Clear has “temporarily closed” its Terminal 7 operation, a company spokesperson confirmed with TPG. Clear’s website showing its JFK locations displays the closure as well.

Company officials did not share specifics about the reason for the change. However, the move comes at a time when JFK’s Terminal 7 is seeing rapid change when it comes to the airlines it serves.

Notably, the shuttering of Clear’s service came right as United Airlines wound down its service in Terminal 7 — and at JFK as a whole — at the end of October, ending its daily transcontinental flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). United is a Clear partner.

November and December will see even more movement from Terminal 7. Starting in mid-November, British Airways will begin its transition to Terminal 8, where it’s relocating to join its Oneworld partner American Airlines; it’s a move expected to be completed in December.

Meanwhile, Clear’s other major airline partner — Delta Air Lines — operates out of Terminals 2 and 4 at JFK, which are the two JFK terminals in which Clear’s kiosks remain in operation. Clear is available in Terminal 2 from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for TSA PreCheck-eligible travelers, and in Terminal 4 from 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day for both TSA PreCheck members and other travelers.

For now, despite the halting of Clear’s service in Terminal 7, the kiosks are still in place there, as TPG managing editor for news Clint Henderson noticed when passing through Saturday morning for a flight aboard the only remaining domestic carrier in Terminal 7 — Alaska Airlines.

In case you were wondering, Henderson noted that the TSA PreCheck lanes did remain open.

Again, Clear is calling this a “temporary” closure. To that end, United also is calling its move away from JFK “temporary,” so we’ll be sure to keep an eye on the company’s plans for its JFK service going forward.

In the meantime, you can still use Clear at more than 60 other airport and stadium locations nationwide, including in New York at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium.

Memberships cost up to$189 annually but you can get the service for free with a variety of credit cards like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, which currently has a hefty introductory bonus of 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.