The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has reintroduced a pre-9/11 security measure, allowing eligible TSA PreCheck members to access gate areas at select airports without a plane ticket. This new program, named "Gateside by TSA PreCheck," aims to revive the practice of emotional send-offs and gate-side reunions that were commonplace before heightened security measures were implemented after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The program permits approved TSA PreCheck members to go through security checkpoints to reach the gates for various reasons, including greeting arriving passengers, bidding farewell to departing loved ones, meeting someone during a layover, or visiting airport dining and retail establishments. Previously, access beyond security checkpoints was largely restricted to ticketed passengers, with airlines occasionally issuing gate passes under specific circumstances.
"As an exclusive benefit for our most trusted travelers, this new program makes it easier to return to the gate for welcomes and send-offs, meet friends during a layover, and enjoy dining and shopping along the way, bringing back the moments that once defined air travel," the TSA stated on its website.
To participate, TSA PreCheck members must apply online at least one day and no more than three days in advance of their planned visit. Approved guests can then use a TSA PreCheck lane for security screening by presenting an acceptable form of identification. For individuals without an acceptable ID, the TSA offers a service called TSA ConfirmID for a $45 fee, though identity verification is not guaranteed.
Guest passes issued through the program are valid for a single calendar day, with reentries permitted on the same day. Children included on an adult's application can also proceed through security. The TSA also noted that members of other trusted-traveler programs holding a Known Traveler Number may be eligible to apply for gate access.
The initial phase of the Gateside program is active at 13 airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Other participating airports are Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Will Rogers International Airport, and Eppley Airfield.
The TSA intends to expand the program to additional airports in the coming months. This initiative follows similar policies adopted by 21 airports nationwide, which allow non-ticketed visitors to obtain guest passes for terminal access at no cost. Pittsburgh International Airport was among the first major U.S. airports to implement such a policy in 2017.