How record wait times at US airports are sending one app soaring
Demand for Clear Secure services are surging as travelers look to bypass TSA lines.
As if surging ticket prices and flight cancellations weren’t enough, American flyers are now having to contend with record-long airport lines, as the partial government shutdown in mid-February continues to blight the Transportation Security Administration, triggering staffing shortages at travel hub checkpoints across the country.
During a House hearing on Wednesday, the TSA’s acting head, Ha Nguyen McNeill, said wait times at airports are currently the longest in the agency’s 24-year history, with delays stretching beyond 4.5 hours at some major airports where as many as 50% of the administration’s employees have called out.
Life in the fast lane
Out of this historic air travel chaos, however, a few outliers have cashed in on frustrated travelers who are willing to buy their way out — including a private jet company that’s seen a 40% spike in charter demand, and Clear, a biometric firm whose $209-a-year subscription lets users bypass ID checks through fingerprint or eye scans and jump to the front of the screening line.
According to data from Appfigures, Clear’s app downloads in March have more than tripled from a year ago, and the app currently sees more daily downloads than the major carriers many of its customers are likely flying with, such as Delta, American, and United. The company’s stock has also jumped nearly 60% this year, inching closer to the all-time high it hit shortly after its 2021 IPO.
Still, Clear’s momentum could slow down or cease entirely if the broader TSA system collapses, and relief might not be on the way just yet: agency officials have warned that the TSA won’t be fully staffed in time to handle surging travel volumes during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.
