Later this month, Delta Air Lines customers will be able to avoid long security lines at Los Angeles International Airport by enrolling in a national program that provides priority lanes in passenger terminals.
In the first operation of its type at LAX, the Clear fast-pass system -- using fingerprint and eye scanners -- is designed to identify travelers and get them through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in a matter of minutes.
"Just to know you can get to the airport at a decent time, go through security and make your flight is something you can't put a value on," said Bryan Martinez, 37, of Thousand Oaks, a marketing executive for Amgen Inc. who has used the Clear system for several years at other airports.
Martinez, who flies frequently on business, said that if he is not checking a bag, he can arrive at the airport 20 to 25 minutes before departure and still make his flights.
"You can't do this at LAX right now," he said.
Clear, a subsidiary of Verified Identity Pass Inc. in New York, plans to open a priority lane for Delta passengers in Terminal 5 the last week of July.
In about two weeks, travelers will be able to enroll in the program at a Clear station in the Delta terminal. The annual fee is $128.
Today, regular passengers using Terminal 5 wait an average of five to 10 minutes to get through federal screening. But TSA figures show that they can spend as much as 30 minutes waiting on busy days. Other airports may have longer waiting periods.
After qualifying for the service, Clear executives say, members can pass through airport security checkpoints faster and more conveniently than other travelers.
"What we offer people is predictability at a time when so much about the travel experience is unpredictable," said Steven Brill, Clear's chief executive. "This process only takes about five minutes. That is a big deal for many travelers."
Clear has priority lanes in 18 airports across the country and plans to be in 25 airports by the end of the year.
About 185,000 people are now members. The vast majority are business travelers and frequent fliers.
Applicants for the Clear system are screened by the TSA, which checks names against criminal records and terrorist watch lists.
The agency, which is responsible for the federal registered traveler program, receives $28 from Clear per application.
