CLEAR’s transition from a kiosk-centric identity platform to an eGate-enabled aviation security solution marks a significant strategic pivot – and also a new direction for the TSA and US aviation security – and creates a launchpad for ASSA ABLOY and HID Global as its develops its airport business unit.
Historically built on lane-based, staff-assisted biometric verification, CLEAR’s move into automated pre-security eGates – using what looks very much like Assa Abloy / HID Global’s Speedgate – signals a bid to become an infrastructure-level operator in airport security rather than a premium membership add-on. This shift aligns CLEAR more closely with global trends in automated passenger processing and sets the stage for a competitive realignment in North America, where eGate adoption has lagged well behind other global regions.
From Kiosks to Automated Infrastructure
Until 2024, CLEAR’s airport footprint relied almost entirely on proprietary biometric kiosks and “totems” that linked identity verification with queue-jump privileges. This model generated highly predictable subscription revenue but offered limited scalability: each verification required staff presence. CLEAR has worked to increase accuracy and streamline the authentication process in recent years with improvements to its biometric platform. It also expanded its base for PreCheck enrolment and opened up to passport holders from over 40 additional countries in an effort to boost potential user numbers.
The introduction of eGates – a form of fully automated, biometric-enabled access control – dramatically alters this operational constraint. By integrating face matching with automated gate actuation, CLEAR can verify each passenger with minimal labour and move the US closer to the throughput and experience common at major hubs in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
The deployment also supports the TSA’s long-term goals around digital identity, risk-based screening, and touchless processing. Ironically, much of these efforts has started to eat into CLEAR’s original purpose. Its “Touchless ID” pilots and introduction of CAT-2 units were an overlapping threat, whilst similarly the TSA cooperated with several airlines on a number of digital identity and security clearance programmes. CLEAR’s eGate rollout is emerging as the first scaled example of a private identity company operating government-integrated access infrastructure in U.S. airports.
Market Context: This Boosts A Rapidly Expanding Global Installed Base
In our report “The Seamless Passenger Journey in Smart Airports“, we estimated that globally, 4,515 pre-security eGates are in use in airports today, split as follows:
- APAC – 1,839
- Europe – 1,838
- North America – 181
- LatAm + Middle East – <600
- Africa – <100
Of these, 1,295 units (≈29%) are biometric.
The United States has traditionally resisted automated passenger identity gates for the pre-security environment. Unlike Europe or Asia, where airports often independently deploy identity technology, identity checks in the U.S. are centralised under federal agencies such as TSA and CBP. The above data highlights that the North American market is one with high potential for eGates, if regulation and political will supports it. The fact is that traditionally this has not been the case but the latest movements and desire to modernise and improve efficiency, implementing more use of digital identity suggest that this is changing.
CLEAR’s entry therefore comes against a backdrop of well-established adoption elsewhere and presents an opportunity to accelerate North America’s historically slow uptake. The CAGR for the global installed base is 3.6%, but biometric-specific eGates are growing at 12.6%, reflecting increased airport interest in passenger automation and digital credentials.
We currently forecast worldwide installation of 700-1,000 new eGates per year, with a steadily increasing share incorporating biometrics. Over 2024–33, more than 8,500 additional units are expected to be deployed worldwide – just over half of them biometric.
These dynamics create a sizeable addressable market for CLEAR if it chooses to expand beyond the U.S. or license its software stack internationally.
OEM Landscape and CLEAR’s Supplier Choice
One of the most interesting implications of CLEAR’s move lies with its apparent hardware partner. While no public documents definitively name HID or ASSA ABLOY as the OEM for CLEAR’s new gates, we note a strong alignment with its recently launched BG100 Speedgate. For HID, this is significant. Historically, the company has had a strong presence in credentialing, access control, and staff ID systems within airports – but not in passenger-facing eGates.
HID eGate
Based upon our Smart Airports Tracker and on-going research across the sector we estimate that, as of 2023, the global market for pre-security eGates is dominated by two established manufacturers:
- dormakaba (39.9%)
- Gunnebo (35.5%)
Followed by:
- Amadeus / Vision-Box (6.3%)
- Magnetic Autocontrol (3.1%)
- EASIER (2.9%)
- Digicon (2.2%)
- Others (10%)
On a side note, for those wondering where SITA is, whilst it is highly influential as an integrator, it is not categorised as an eGate OEM.
HID is not yet represented in these numbers in any meaningful way.
CLEAR’s rollout changes that.
If HID–ASSA ABLOY is indeed the OEM powering CLEAR’s new eGate infrastructure, it immediately plugs them into the largest private identity network in U.S. airports. CLEAR’s decision to partner rather than build hardware in-house keeps its model asset-light while allowing rapid footprint expansion. For HID, it provides it with a highly recognisable reference deployment and a basis to build out wider opportunities as airports shift towards automation.
With the right partnerships and go-to-market strategy, it is possible that a fresh approach can result in a new entrant gaining ground and figuring in a future version of the above market shares. Previous business relations and cross-use of technology between Olea Kiosks and HID Global shows that this new development is a continuation and extension of what was already in place.
CLEAR’s Business Model Transformation
- From consumer subscription to hybrid infrastructure economics
The eGate rollout shifts CLEAR from a primarily consumer-funded service toward a mixed model combining:
- Subscription fees.
- Airport contracts.
- TSA and federal partnerships.
- Potential per-passenger or per-verification economics.
This makes CLEAR more comparable to established integrators, rather than being a straightforward hardware manufacturer, even as it retains a premium subscription tier.
- Biometrics at the centre of the platform
CLEAR’s biometric systems have evolved significantly in recent years:
- Improved facial recognition accuracy and liveness detection.
- Direct integration with TSA digital identity pathways.
- Increased use of mobile enrolment, reducing reliance on airport hardware.
- Expansion beyond aviation into events, entertainment, and soon healthcare.
CLEAR has made efforts to improve the accuracy and security of its biometric platform, and simplified it with a focus on facial recognition to improve speed of use. This addresses previous shortfalls and increases its attractiveness to consumers and potential integration partners.
- The gateway to TSAPreCheckintegration
CLEAR’s partnership with TSA to provide enrolment services for TSA PreCheck creates a powerful funnel:
- PreCheck members gain exposure to CLEAR.
- CLEAR positions itself as a national identity provider, not merely an expedited-lane service.
As eGates become the default access-control method, CLEAR’s identity platform may serve as a key verification layer for both PreCheck and non-PreCheck passengers.
- A competitive reset in North America
With only 181 eGates currently in North America—compared with over 1,800 each in Europe and APAC—the region represents the biggest growth runway in the world. CLEAR’s involvement:
- Accelerates North America’s adoption curve.
- May threaten existing access-control vendors who have historically dominated gate hardware supply.
- Creates a potential consortium-like model between TSA and CLEAR to define national standards.
If CLEAR scales quickly, it may become the de facto U.S. standard for pre-security eGates – something no private company has ever achieved in the aviation identity domain.
Impact on the Global Competitive Landscape
CLEAR’s entry introduces a new dynamic into a market historically defined by hardware-first OEMs. CLEAR’s differentiators:
- Strong US consumer brand.
- Integrated digital identity ecosystem.
- Cross-venue use cases.
- TSA-aligned security model.
If CLEAR succeeds, it may push other OEMs to adopt more software-forward strategies or partner with identity-as-a-service providers.
The international implications are less immediate – given regulatory and privacy differences – but CLEAR’s model could appeal to specific markets seeking:
- Mixed private–public identity systems.
- Subscription-based premium fast-track options.
- National digital identity overlays.
Conclusion: The First Domino in a Larger U.S. Shift
CLEAR’s eGate launch is more than just another product update. It represents the beginning of a new phase in U.S. airport identity management – one that finally aligns the country with international trends toward automated, biometric, self-service security access. CLEAR’s rollout could multiply North America’s installed base several-fold over the next few years, especially if TSA standardises on eGates for both PreCheck and general screening.
For CLEAR, it’s a necessary evolution that strengthens its value proposition and business model. For HID, it may be the long-awaited opportunity to break into a lucrative U.S. airport segment and build out from there into other regions. And for the U.S. market as a whole, it signals the long-overdue arrival of scalable, biometric pre-security infrastructure.
If the rollout succeeds, 2025 may be remembered as the year the U.S. finally entered the global biometric eGate era.
