Long airport security lines waste time and add stress. Programs like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR help you skip ahead, but they come at a cost.
There’s also a lesser-known option: free security reservations at select airports. Book a time slot, show up and spend less time in line. Here’s how it works and where you can use it.
In this article
What is an airport security reservation?
What happened to CLEAR Reserve – and what replaced it?
Airports with free security reservations.
How to book a security reservation?
How to use a security reservation at the airport?
Is it worth using a security reservation?
Security reservations vs TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
What is an airport security reservation?
An airport security reservation lets you book a time slot to go through security before you arrive at the airport. Instead of waiting in the standard line, you show up at your selected time and use a dedicated lane. It’s free to use and available at select airports, usually during peak travel periods.
Think of it as a “fast pass” for security – no membership required. You still go through the same screening process, but often with a shorter wait.
These programs are especially useful if you don’t have TSA PreCheck or CLEAR. And even if you do, they can be a smart backup when lines get longer than expected.
What happened to CLEAR Reserve – and what replaced it?
Many of these programs were originally powered by CLEAR under the name “Reserve.”
CLEAR has since discontinued that specific service. As a spokesperson confirmed, “Reserve is no longer available via CLEAR.”
Airports, however, continue to offer similar reservation systems – either independently or with new partners, often still using “Reserve” in the name. The concept hasn’t changed: you book a time slot and use a dedicated lane during busy periods.
First introduced at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in 2021, these programs are now available at around a dozen airports in North America and Europe.
Airports with free security reservations.
Availability varies by airport, and each program has its own name and branding. The list below will get you started, but keep in mind airports regularly update or discontinue these services.
United States and Canada
- Denver International Airport (DEN) – *program ends June 27, 2026
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
- New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) T4
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Europe
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- London Luton Airport (LTN)
- Manchester Airport (MAG)
- Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO)
- Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS)
- Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Uruguay
How to book a security reservation?
Here are some of the specific rules, advance reservation windows and slot times for airports in North America currently offering virtual queuing programs. Instructions for signing up for security checkpoint reservations at airports in Europe can be found on the respective airport websites.
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Reservations for the DEN Reserve program can be made up to 14 days in advance and once you’re at the airport. Slots are available from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm for flights between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
*Note: DEN plans to discontinue the program sometime in 2026.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
MSP Reserve is offered to passengers with flights leaving Terminals 1 or 2. Reservations can be made up to seven days before your flight or when you arrive at the airport.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
YULExpress reservations to use the YULExpress Priority Lane can be made up to 72 hours before a flight and at the airport for up to 10 passengers flying together.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
JFK T4 Reserve is available in Terminal 4 for reservations up to 72 hours in advance for Delta Air Lines flights and up to 7 days in advance for most other carriers.
Orlando International Airport’s (MCO)
MCO Reserve is available in Terminals A, B and C. Reservations can be made up to 7 days in advance or when you are in the terminal, if slots are available.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
PHX Reserve is offered at Terminals 3 and 4. Reservations can be made up to six days before a flight and when you are in the terminal. Available appointment times are 24 hours a day in Terminal 3 and from 3:15 am to 7:30 p.m. in Terminal 4 (Checkpoint D).
Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Reservations for the SEA Spot Saver program are accepted up to five days in advance. Day-of reservations may also be available
How to use a security reservation at the airport?
You don’t need to pay a fee or sign up for a membership to use these programs.
First, check your departing airport’s website or app to see if a reservation program is offered. The programs go by different names at each airport, but the airport’s code and ‘reserve’ is often included.
Book a time slot.
When you apply for a slot on your airport’s site, the reservation system will ask you for your flight details, contact information, the number of passengers in your group and the reservation time that works for you within the time-period when slots are offered.
Slots may be limited and only available during an airport’s peak travel periods.
Plan ahead – or try your luck.
Depending on the airport, reservations may be made immediately or up to 30 days in advance. Often, you may also apply for a reservation once you arrive at the airport for your flight. Don’t give up if there are no reservations available.
Try again before you leave for the airport and again when you are at the airport and even while you’re standing in a long TSA line. As with restaurant reservations, many people don’t show up, cancellations are made, and you may score a last-minute slot.
Use your QR code at the airport.
Once you enter your flight and contact information, and if a reservation slot is available, you will receive a confirmation email with a QR code. When you get to the airport, show your QR code at the designated TSA checkpoint lane.
Most reservations have at least a 15–minute grace period, so you do not need to show up exactly on time. However, if you have made a group reservation, everyone on the reservation will need to show up at the same time.
Know what to expect.
Checkpoint reservations cannot be used with TSA PreCheck or Clear benefits. But if you have a reservation, you’ll often be escorted to the front of the general TSA line where electronics and 3-1-1 bags of liquids/gels must be removed from your carry-on bags. (In the U.S. the shoe removal requirement was lifted in July 2025).
Tip: check wait times before you commit.
During peak travel times, even the TSA PreCheck lines can get long. At airports that offer virtual queuing you may get through security faster if you pivot and use the app to grab a last-minute reservation.
Is it worth using a security reservation?
For those without paid membership programs such as TSA PreCheck or CLEAR, checkpoint reservation programs are an excellent tool for bypassing long security lines at participating airports. Having a checkpoint reservation won’t take all the stress out of getting through airport security, but on busy travel days, it will certainly help.
Security reservations vs TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
Security reservations, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR all help you spend less time in line – but they work in different ways.
- Security reservations: Free time slots you book in advance. You use a dedicated lane at a specific time, but still go through standard screening (laptops out, liquids out).
- TSA PreCheck: A paid government program that lets you use a separate lane with a faster screening process – no need to remove shoes, laptops or liquids in most cases.
- CLEAR: A paid service that uses biometric verification (like fingerprints or eye scans) to skip the ID check line. You’re then sent to either the standard or TSA PreCheck lane.
Which one is better? It depends on how often you travel. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are built for frequent flyers. Security reservations are a simple, free option – and a useful backup when other lines get long.
