Just a month ago, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced that it had allowed access to some airport terminals to people who don't have airline tickets, which is something Americans haven't been able to do for a generation.
When we first reported the new program, which the TSA calls Gateside, only 13 airports were participating.
Suddenly, more than 300 U.S. airports are on the list, which means that chances are you'll be able to re-enact your own syrupy Love Actually reunion at a boarding gate near you, sweeping orchestra music excluded.
As we explained in early September, the new Gateside by TSA PreCheck program gives anyone with a Known Traveler Number (KTN), which is the same number you get if you join TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, the chance to go beyond the security checkpoint even if they're not flying.
Getting permission isn't as easy as showing up at the airport and elbowing your way past security—you have to apply in advance for a specific date—so romantic partners still shouldn't develop unrealistic expectations about being met at the gate with flowers after every business trip.
The government's portal page for Gateside still shows a map of the country with just 13 dots representing its first airports, but if you click Apply and begin the process of requesting permission, you'll see that the drop-down menu of participating airports (at https://visitorpass.tsa.gov/sfp/) is now even longer than the typical walk to baggage claim.
About 20 airports had their own version of the privilege already, but now that the TSA has gotten involved, the list of available airports has swelled more than fifteenfold to (by our count) 312.
Even airports that don't currently have any scheduled commercial flights, like Branson, Missouri (BKG), are now included in Gateside availability, which seems odd. What would you do in there?
One more detail that some people will see as a red flag and others won't care about: You must have a Login.gov account, which can also be used for services like digital passport applications, to apply. The fine print of the program discloses that by applying, "the Transportation Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is collecting information from you for purposes of watch list screening" and "TSA may share information you provide with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice."