COMING AND GOING

Scan Iris, Will Travel

SECURITY WATCH

Scan Iris, Will Travel

If you fly only a few times a year, you might as well wait in the regular security lines. But frequent fliers who use Reagan National and Dulles should start thinking about whether reliably getting through security in four minutes or less is worth paying $100 to a private firm and $28 to Uncle Sam.

The option was created last week when airport authorities awarded a bid to a New York company that already provides special lanes for "registered travelers" at 11 other airports. Within four or five weeks, a passenger at National or Dulles holding a Clear fast pass will approach a special lane, press the pass against the screen of a kiosk, and have a finger and an iris scanned . Pass holders, for now at least, still will have to take off their shoes, remove laptops from cases and go through Transportation Security Administration metal detectors. However, company-hired assistants help at both ends of the process .

Here's the drill:

* Contact the company (866-848-2415, http://www.flyclear.com) and begin enrollment online by providing personal data and credit card info. (The charge is activated when you get the pass.)

* Ap pear in person at an enrollment center to provide fingerprints and an iris scan. (The company's chief executive, Steven Brill, says that takes 8 1/2 minutes.) Go to the American Express office at 1501 K St. NW or the Congressional Federal Credit Union in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill. Centers are to open at the airports next month. The pass is good for one year. Active -duty members of the military get free passes; federal workers get an extra month free.

* Within 10 days, if the TSA doesn't consider you a security risk, it will give the company permission to issue you a card containing a biometric chip. You can then head to the special lanes when they open at National and Dulles, and can use the pass at 13 other airports that already have the lanes.

Is it fair? CoGo says yes, as long as other passengers aren't made to wait longer than they otherwise would.

MILES HOUNDS

Some Alliance

Whenever possible, Richard and Margot Mazeau of Arlington fly US Airways or the airline's Star Alliance partners , a loyalty engendered by the goal of earning frequent-flier tickets. Before booking on partner Scandinavian Airlines last summer, Margot Mazeau said, she was assured she'd get mileage credit. She's been fighting ever since.

US Airways employees initially made her "jump through hoops," she said, asking first for boarding passes, then the booking number, then a copy of the tickets. After supplying each, Mazeau couldn't get a reply.

CoGo called US Airways spokesman Philip Gee, who said the couple had "W" class tickets, and "SAS does not allow the accrual of d ividend m iles in this class." He provided a long, complicated Web address for finding partner rules. CoGo, wondering if the info could be found without a cheat sheet, spent 20 minutes at http://www.usairways.com and tracked it down: At the home page, on the "Dividend Miles" pull-down menu, select "Member benefits." At a page full of options, choose "Star Alliance." On the next page, click "earn Dividend Miles."

Moral: You don't always get full, or any, frequent-flier credit from partners. Don't take anyone's word for it; know your ticket class and launch a search.

WALLET WATCH

Big Apple Temptations

Forget the dog days of August. Now is New York City's slow period , when hotel rates are as low as they're going to get. Tourism officials have launched a campaign to entice visitors.

At http://www.nycvisit.com, click on "NYC Open: Book 2008" and find more than 250 offers, such as discounts up to 20 percent off the lowest rate published by certain hotels , or two-for-one admissions to museums, or reduced-price theater tickets . For a big splurge, type "Signature Collection" in the search field and find 10 luxury hotels that are offering third-night-free deals. Alternatively, search "NYC Sunday Stays" to find more than 40 hotels offering up to 30 percent off their lowest rates on Sundays.

Also, during Restaurant Week, Jan. 21-25 and Jan. 28-Feb. 1, more than 200 restaurants offer three-course, fixed-price meals at bargain rates: $24.07 for lunch, $35 for dinner.

TRAVEL TICKER

Travelers to Britain should monitor local weather reports for news about flooding. Wales and the West Midlands were worst hit last week, but flood warnings were in effect for 50 locales in the U.K., including severe weather warnings in southwestern England and Scotland. . . . Jan. 30 remains a possible strike date for Amtrak employees, but negotiations continue. CoGo will monitor; check our travel blog, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/travellog, for last-minute info. . . . The British Foreign Office last week advised travelers against all but essential travel to Algiers and to areas east and southwest of the city. The warning comes after bombings claimed by al-Qaeda. The U.S. State Department's warning is slightly different, urging citizens to "evaluate carefully the risk" throughout Algeria. Details: http://www.travel.state.gov, http://www.fco.gov.uk.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK

British Airways is offering sale fares to London along with free hotel nights. Round-trip fare from Washington Dulles is $494 per person, including $116 in taxes. (Fare on other airlines starts at about $539). Single traveler gets one free night, and a couple receives two. Nine hotels are participating; value varies. For example, two nights at the Marriott Maida Vale Maide Valle costs about $373. Cheapest fares apply to Monday-Wednesday flights through March 23. Book by Jan. 24 at www.ba.com, or for $20 more, call 800-247-9297.

Reporting: Cindy Loose

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