Clear opens new lanes inside JFK Terminal 7

Clear members will soon have expanded access to the company’s expedited security verification lanes when traveling through New York’s largest airport.

Clear this week unveiled its newest verification lanes inside Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). These new lanes mark the third terminal Clear serves at JFK. The service offers biometric-reading kiosks that quickly check a traveler’s identity before Clear personnel escort those travelers to the front of the security checkpoint lines.

While JFK is frequently one of America’s busiest airports, particularly with international travel back in full swing, passengers there have, until now, only had access to Clear when visiting Terminals 2 and 4.

That meant if you were flying with Delta Air Lines or with one of the many other international carriers that serve Terminal 4 like Emirates, KLM or Etihad, you’d be able to take advantage of your Clear membership and have access to ultra-fast security verification.

Now, passengers traveling with a handful of other U.S. and international carriers also will have Clear access with the opening of the Terminal 7 lanes.

Operated by British Airways, Terminal 7 — in addition to the London-based carrier — serves domestic carriers United and Alaska, along with Iberia, ANA, LOT Polish Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas and Icelandair.

The opening of these new lanes at JFK comes at a time when Clear has been trying out a variety of new services to appeal to a range of customers.

For instance, this summer, TPG reported on a $79-per-use curb-to-gate service Clear was testing at Orlando International Airport (MCO) that is aimed at simplifying the entire airport experience, particularly for families.

At the other end of the spectrum, in JFK’s Terminal 4, the company rolled out a free security reservation service largely aimed at travelers who aren’t Clear members and who do not have TSA PreCheck, allowing them to reserve a spot in the standard TSA line beginning up to 72 hours before their arrival at the airport. The service is in more than a half-dozen locations.

As that free service continues in Terminal 4 alongside standard Clear lanes, the new lanes in Terminal 7 are likewise an expansion of the company’s core service — expedited security verification.

Meanwhile, New York travelers will also find Clear lanes at LaGuardia Airport Terminal C, where Delta operates, and at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Nationwide, the company has more than 60 locations — primarily at airports, but with a handful of stadiums and arenas mixed in, too.

You can start your enrollment online, and complete it at the airport. A standard Clear membership costs $189 annually, but certain credit cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express provide you with Clear statement credits that can offset the cost.