I have the same ongoing discussions with friends around the country about the need to get Clear. My friends in Florida and Orange County, California do not understand the need for a premium service to expedite the process through Airport Security. With all of the delays at JFK, I found Clear to be a lifesaver. I found an interesting blog on Bounce.com that reviews airport wait times for TSA and Passport Control which validated my thought process.
Airports with the Longest TSA and Passport Control Times
What they found was that NY’s John F Kennedy International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport have the longest time to get through TSA and Passport Control. For JFK and Orlando, it takes an average of 15 minutes to get through the security process. I can tell you that this average is definitely on the low side if you are traveling through JFK’s Terminal 4 where I have seen lines between 45 minutes to an hour. Also Passport Control typically is 30 to 45 minutes.
Airports with the Shortest Security and Passport Control Lines
On the flip side, it turns out that my friends have the luxury of being at the airports with the lowest time required to process through TSA and Passport Control. At Palm Beach International Airport and Orange County’s John Wayne Airport it takes on average only 5 and half minutes and 9 minutes respectively, to go through security. That sounds like a dream to me. Here is their list of the quickest TSA and Passport Control processing times. I will highlight that I do not buy that Philadelphia International Airport is that good!!
While these time lines can vary greatly based upon when you travel, I would highly recommend budgeting more time than you think. There is nothing worse than being stuck on a line as their close the boarding door on your flight. If you travel through an airport that requires more time to get through security and passport control, definitely consider TSA Pre and/or Global Entry (or even Clear). These services can be the difference between piece of mind or incredible frustration!!!