TSA is bringing back something many people have missed: letting non-ticketed visitors into airport terminals. This pilot program throws things back to pre-9/11 days, when you could walk right up to the gate with a friend or family member, maybe share one last hug before takeoff, or meet them the second they landed. After twenty-plus years of tighter security, saying goodbye at the checkpoint or just dropping people off at the curb became the norm. Now, in several states, that’s changing.
The program is called Gateside by TSA PreCheck. It’s marketed as a perk for trusted travelers, letting non-flyers get past security, back to the gates to greet people, say goodbye, kill time with friends on a layover, or just enjoy the restaurants and shops on the other side.
Although the TSA is not currently including Florida airports on the list, the agency states it is closely monitoring the pilot program and intends to expand Gateside to additional airports in the upcoming months. For now, it’s a small but meaningful change for anyone who remembers what airports used to feel like, and who’s missed that simple gesture of meeting someone right at the gate.
As of now, Gateside passes are available at thirteen airports around the country:
- Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan
- Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas
- Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California
- Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska
- San Diego International Airport in San Diego, California
- Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah
If you get a pass, you still must follow airport rules, just like everyone else. TSA says you’re subject to all posted regulations and the airport’s code of conduct. Break the rules, and you risk losing your pass, getting kicked out, or worse, facing fines or criminal charges.
If you’ve already got TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number (KTN), you can apply for a Gateside pass online one to three days before heading to the airport. If you’re approved, you’ll go through TSA screening just like ticketed travelers. Keep in mind, though, not everyone can get a pass every day, as airports set a daily limit, and they can pause the program anytime.
