A new kind of airport gate is coming to security lines—and it doesn’t require handing over your ID.
Last week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and private security screening company Clear started introducing biometric eGates at three major airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The new gates are up and running at ATL, and they will begin operating at SEA the week of August 25 and at DCA the week of August 31.
To use the gates, travelers with a Clear+ membership will scan their boarding pass and wait while the device uses biometric facial recognition to verify their identity, which takes a few seconds. Once verified, the eGate opens, and the passenger can proceed directly to the security checkpoint, bypassing the TSA podium. Previously, Clear staffers had to physically escort members to the TSA podium for document verification, which often undercut the promise of a rapid, seamless experience.
For travelers, the system promises one major enhanced perk: greater speed and convenience. Instead of waiting to show an agent your documents, the eGate handles the check automatically. The TSA still oversees the process (and will be there to help passengers who encounter issues), but reaching the carry-on baggage screening area is meant to be faster and smoother with the new tech.
If eGate idea sounds familiar, it’s because it echoes systems already in place abroad. Many international airports—including those in Singapore, Amsterdam, and London—use biometric eGates at immigration to streamline passport control. The difference here is that these U.S. eGates are at the security checkpoint for departures, not at international border control, and they’re currently limited to travelers who pay for a Clear+ membership (about $209 per year, with discounts via certain airlines and credit cards, such as the Platinum Card from American Express and the Centurion Card from American Express).
It’s also worth noting how this differs from TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, another biometric program travelers may have encountered recently. Touchless ID—available at select airports, including Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and 12 other U.S. airports—allows PreCheck members to scan their face at a TSA podium instead of handing over a license or boarding pass. But those systems are staffed by officers and are integrated into the TSA PreCheck lane. By contrast, the new eGates are automated entry points; they’re more akin to a turnstile at passport control than a staffed checkpoint.
Unlike similar programs overseas, TSA officials emphasized that this rollout comes at no cost to taxpayers: Clear paid for the technology, while TSA retains authority over all security operations.
The program launches as airports brace for record passenger volumes, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the United States’ 250th anniversary expected to bring both domestic and international crowds. For now, the rollout is limited to three airports, but TSA and Clear said that expansion is likely if the pilot proves successful.
For frequent fliers who already pay for Clear, the new gates could make an early-morning dash through the airport a little less stressful. For everyone else, it’s a preview of how biometric technology may continue to shape the airport experience in the years ahead.
