Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Evergreens

Clear airport security has a secret program that makes even TSA PreCheck look outdated

Clear and Whyline are beating TSA Precheck in one key way

By
A man walking past an airport security station in motion
Sohan Shingade / Unsplash

Waiting in lengthy airport security lines is one thing every traveler universally despises — even though we know its importance. But what if there was a way to avoid waiting in line at the airport? You’re probably thinking of TSA precheck, a paid program allowing frequent travelers access to shorter security wait times at airports. But if you’re looking for a free option, Clear Airport Security offers another program many travelers don’t know about.

Unlike TSA precheck, Clear Airport also offers Reserve (formerly known as Whyline), which offers travelers virtual reservations for security lines at no cost. Below, we’ll dive into what you need to know about using this program and how it can help save you time during your travel.

airport
viarami / Pixabay

Clear’s acquisition of Whyline

You’ve probably heard of Clear before as you’ve watched people pass by the standard airport security line and head to TSA precheck. But many people don’t know about Clear’s secret program, which was once called Whyline. In January of 2022, Clear announced the acquisition of a smaller company, Whyline. Today, Clear has renamed this program Reserve, which allows travelers to book an appointment for security check-in before heading to the airport.

Recommended Videos

Right now, this program is offered at select airports in North America and Europe, including some of the busiest travel locations like Orlando International Airport (MCO) and John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK). This program is also offered at popular European travel destinations such as London, Rome, and Amsterdam. Interestingly enough, Clear’s program is not exclusive to airports and offers the ability to bypass lengthy lines at other locations such as sporting arenas and stadiums.

The company plans to expand to more popular airports in the coming years, helping to make waiting in security lines a thing of the past. If you’re interested in using this program, be sure to check out the full list of available airports before traveling.

People waiting in line at the airport
Phil Mosley / Unsplash

How to use the program

Using the Reserve program is super simple, requiring only three basic steps. Using the app or online platform, travelers can enter their flight information (including time and airline) and select their flight number. From here, the platform will ask travelers to enter some brief information and provide a few available timeslots for security reservations based on the flight’s departure time.

You can also book for other passengers in your party (up to 10 people at once) at the same time, including children. Once the reservation online is completed, a QR code will be provided instantly. Remember, you’ll want to make sure you secure a reservation before you get to the airport. If you attempt to book after your flight time is already too near, the system will not allow you to make a reservation.

Once you get to the airport, simply head towards airport security after dropping your bags as you normally would. Instead of going into the main airport security line, look for a special line that is marked Clear Reserve. Do not head to the TSA precheck kiosks; this service is only for paid members. If you’re running a bit late, the company offers a 20-minute grace period after your designated appointment time. If you arrive a bit before your reservation time, most airports will allow you to continue to pass through the line as well. The best thing about this program is that it can be used by all passengers and doesn’t cost a thing!

Plane at sunset
JFK_Photography / Pixabay

Taking advantage of free airport security reservations

As much as we want to gatekeep this secret airport security hack — it’s too good not to share. Many travelers find themselves stressed waiting in very long airport lines, especially at busy airports or hub airports. If you don’t travel often, chances are you’re not looking to invest in the TSA precheck program, as helpful as it is. Using Clear Reserve offers you and your travel group an easy way to cut down on the time spent in line. If you’re traveling with young children, you know that the less time spent waiting in line, the better. Not to mention, a reserved timeslot to pass through airport security will ensure you don’t have to stress about missing your flight.

Taking advantage of free airport security reservations can make your travel stress-free and smooth, no matter where you’re headed. Once you see how easy it is to use this program at a Clear airport, you’ll wish every airport offered this unique, free service.

Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving… Read Full Bio
Travel
Feeling bored? That’s because you lost your thirst for side quests
Field, Grassland, Nature

It’s no secret: I am one lucky son of a bitch. I get to travel all over and write about it. Regularly, I will randomly pick up on a Tuesday and find myself in Bermuda, Kenya, Hong Kong, or Rome by Wednesday. Sometimes, I will even plan it. It is a complete 180 from where I was in my life before the pandemic. I was deep in the trenches of the Monday-through-Friday, nine-to-five lifestyle. I was eight rounds in on the bout with the Joneses and believed I could catch up with them if I only worked harder, saved more. The truth was, I was already putting in sixty hours a week and depriving my life of the things that would truly help. I discovered the hard way that, once I achieved the thing I was working for, once I bought the car, wore the suit, got the raise- I was still empty. I couldn’t figure out what it was that was missing from that life. Until the pandemic laid a side quest in front of me.

Once I was laid off from the law firm I’d put my whole self into for the previous four years, I was free. It was ten seconds of sheer panic followed by the largest weight I didn’t even know I was carrying disappearing from my shoulders. I could disappear myself, explore the world passing me by the last half-decade. So I did. I started writing full time and lived in Airbnbs for a month (or three) at a time in different cities. I discovered myself, discovered what destinations had to offer. I found the joy in my life. And it always came on the other side of a side quest. Can’t quit your job and travel the world? That is ok; I have tips you can do from home. Over an evening. Over a weekend. Over a week’s vacation. The point is that your life isn’t boring; you’re just in campaign mode and forgot the open-world model allows you to explore the world at your fingertips.

Read more
Travel
Travelpro is bringing quiet luxury to luggage with its new collection
Travelpro

Just in time for holiday gifting, Travelpro is back with another elevated collection that will turn heads in the airport. Travelpro is introducing Platinum Reserve, its most elevated collection yet. Born from pilots and used daily by more than 220,000 aviation professionals, Travelpro knows that beautiful design has to hold up once a journey begins. Platinum Reserve brings that expertise to a more polished silhouette, pairing full-grain leather details with the smooth, controlled movement the brand is known for.

True luxury proves itself in motion,” said Lisa Cody, Head of Product & Brand Experience of Travelpro. “With Platinum Reserve, we wanted every part of the journey to feel effortless, from moving through a crowded terminal to arriving at your destination looking just as polished as when you left. Because true luxury isn’t replacing your luggage. It’s never having to worry about it.”

Read more
Travel
Cafe Charmant, The Corner Store Crew’s Latest, Puts Food Ahead of the Scene
Clothing, Long Sleeve, Sleeve

I’ll be honest. If I weren’t a writer, there is no way in hell I could have landed a 7:15 Saturday night reservation at Cafe Charmant just a mere four weeks after its opening. The most recent jewel in the buzzy Catch Hospitality Group’s crown, the glitzy eatery is the newest IT restaurant to hit the downtown scene, so chalk it up to one of the perks of the job that I could walk in, order a drink, and be ushered to a corner table for two in under 10 minutes.

Though the state of making prime reservations in New York City may not come as a surprise to many, I’m still not able to reconcile with the current velvet rope of so many of this city’s restaurants. Sure, the 90s and early 2000’s had their Indochine, Moomba (if you remember that one, we need to grab a drink). The Waverly Inn, but for the most part, you could easily make a reservation or even walk in and wait for a table with a cocktail in hand at most popular establishments. And, let’s be honest, half the people weren’t even eating, if you know what I mean.

Read more