Stat of the Week: Denver airport makes $1.4 million yearly from Clear lanes
The company’s five-year contract is coming to a close, and the Denver City Council must decide whether to renew.
Security lines at DIA. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
It’s been five years now since Clear installed its express lanes for passengers at Denver International Airport. From the looks of it, they won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
The private company runs a registered traveler program at DIA and airports in 18 other cities. For a price of $179 per year, travelers can use the company’s special lanes, checking in with biometric scanners and often breezing past long security lines. They’re also at Coors Field.
Now, the company’s five-year contract is coming to a close, and the Denver City Council must decide whether to renew. The new contract would allow Clear to operate at DIA for another two years, plus an option to extend another year.
The business makes money for both itself and the airport. In 2016, it delivered $1.1 million in revenues to DIA. In 2017, that’s estimated to be about $1.4 million, according to city records.
The contract extension would allow Clear to keep operating its premium lanes at both the northern and southern security checkpoints.