Registered Traveler Program Finally Hitting Its Stride

After a slow start, the program to speed travelers through airport security lanes is catching on with business travelers.

By Martha Lynn Craver, Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter

March 6, 2008

The Registered Traveler (RT) program is taking off and gaining altitude. This year will mark a turning point as more major airport hubs sign up to participate in the program. "It will be a snowball effect, as the program becomes more and more effective for business travelers," says Stewart Verdery, a senior consultant with the National Business Travel Association.

The program allows travelers who undergo background checks and fingerprint and iris scans to get cards that allow them to pass through express lanes at airport security checkpoints. The payoff? Predictability. An RT cardholder is guaranteed speedy processing through security each and every time. The cards cost up to $128 a year and are offered, so far, by three companies: Clear, FLO Corp. and Vigilant Solutions. The cards are interoperable, which means that one company's card will work at all participating airports, even if that company does not have a contract to operate at that airport.

At least 25 airports will participate in the Registered Traveler program by the end of this year, up from 14 now. At this time last year, there was only one airport in the program -- Orlando, Fla. Coming on board this month are Reagan National and Dulles International in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as the airport in Oakland, Calif. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson is expected to have a program up and running sometime this summer. Other airports considering participating include Baltimore/Washington, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports. Registered Traveler cards eventually may be used at overseas airports as well.

Enrolling in the program is becoming easier. In addition to being able to sign up at participating airports, there are now downtown locations. For example, in anticipation of the program starting at two Washington, D.C. airports, Clear has enrollment stations at the American Express Travel Service office downtown and on Capitol Hill. With bulk enrollments, the card companies will come to a company's location to sign up employees. They also offer discounts for bulk sales.

RT cards vendors are also offering more tie-ins with hotels, airlines, credit card companies, etc. For example, FLO has a deal with Hilton Hotels, allowing Hilton loyalty members to redeem points for annual FLO memberships. FLO cardholders also get discounts at airport concession stores such as Brooks Brothers. Clear inked a deal with MasterCard, allowing its banks to offer Clear memberships at a "preferred rate." Frontier Airlines top-tier frequent flyers also will get complimentary Clear memberships. Vigilant Solutions offers its cardholders discounts at some golf courses in Florida.

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