The Transportation Security Administration now wants you to visit the airport without a plane ticket.
Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks changed airport security and largely put an end to non-ticketed visitors meeting loved ones at the gate, the TSA is rolling out a new program welcoming non-ticketed visitors at 13 airports.
The program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, invites non-travelers with TSA PreCheck status and Known Traveler Numbers to apply for an airport day pass and use the dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes for expedited entry to the airport.
"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," TSA said in the program announcement, adding that the program brings back "the moments that once defined air travel."
The program could be particularly useful for people who want to help family members navigate the airport. Parents could accompany children all the way to their departure gate, while family members could escort older relatives through security or meet them at the gate when they arrive.
How it worksGateside by TSA PreCheck is free and is open to TSA PreCheck members and those with Known Traveler Numbers.
To use the program, you'll need to apply one to three days before your planned visit, log in using your Login.gov account (or create one), enter your personal information on the form and wait for approval. Kids are welcome to join you, but be sure to enter their information on your reservation.
Related: Big changes for our favorite airport shortcuts: How TSA PreCheck, Clear, Global Entry are evolving
Once approved, you'll need to bring a Real ID or other acceptable form of ID to a PreCheck lane at the airport and be prepared to log in to the application portal to show the TSA officer your approval status. Keep in mind that TSA says screenshots or printouts of your approval status won't be accepted for this program.
For now, the Gateside by TSA PreCheck program is only available at 13 airports, with more promised by TSA in the coming months.
If you don't have TSA PreCheck or know that your membership will soon be renewed, here's the TPG guide to everything you need to know about TSA PreCheck and some ways to get free or discounted TSA membership.
Airports rolling out Gateside by TSA PreCheck- Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) in Arizona
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
- Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in Kansas
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Arkansas
- Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma
- Eppley Airfield (OMA) in Nebraska
- San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
At least 20 airports already welcome non-ticketed guests to apply for gate passes to visit the non-secure side of the airport.
These programs go by different names at each airport; for example, there's the Hopkins Hang Out Pass at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and the Wingmate Pass at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). These programs differ from Gateside: While they do run an applicant's name through the TSA database, anyone can apply for a pass, and no PreCheck membership is required.
And for these gate pass programs, using the TSA PreCheck lanes to enter the airport is prohibited.
Related: The best credit cards for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry
Some of those gate pass programs also differ in that applications for same-day access are often permitted, the application windows can be much longer, and screenshots and printouts of approved passes are often allowed.
Here's a list of airports with their own gate pass programs:
- Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ)
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
- Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
- Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
- Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
- San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL)
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California
- Ontario International Airport (ONT) in California
- Capital Regional International Airport (LAN) in Michigan
- Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Washington
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) in Louisiana
- San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Note that two of the above airports — SAN and DTW — are also on the Gateside by TSA PreCheck list. We checked whether anything about their gate passes will change.
Matt Morawski, director of communications and external affairs at DTW, said the DTW Destination Pass is available to anyone who meets the program requirements and has a valid government-issued ID. "We do not anticipate that the Gateside by TSA PreCheck program will have any impact on our DTW Destination Pass program," Morawski wrote. "We're pleased to continue offering this safe and convenient option for our customers."
We are still waiting for an answer from SAN.
Bottom lineGateside by TSA PreCheck brings back an airport experience that largely disappeared more than two decades ago: the ability to accompany loved ones all the way to the gate even when you aren't flying yourself.
Beyond meeting friends during layovers or taking advantage of airport dining and shopping, the program could be particularly valuable for families who want to accompany children or older relatives through the airport. And unlike existing airport visitor-pass programs, eligible Gateside visitors get the added benefit of using TSA PreCheck lanes to get through security.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.