Going all the way to the gate at the airport to see off a departing loved one or greet a new arrival—even if you didn't have a ticket yourself—was once a common occurrence. Nowadays the notion of a nonticketed airport visitor getting past security checkpoints remains familiar only from pre-9/11 rom-coms and the final episode of Friends.
But the Transportation Security Administration is bringing back the practice, albeit in a limited way that will continue to block most last-minute, Ross Geller-esque declarations of love during boarding.
The new Gateside by TSA PreCheck program gives anyone with a Known Traveler Number (KTN) the chance to go beyond the security checkpoint at 13 airports across the U.S.
To get a Known Traveler Number, you need to be a member of one of the paid government programs, such as TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, that prescreens eligible travelers so that they can go through expedited security lines at the airport.
With the new Gateside by TSA PreCheck perk, PreCheck members can apply for a pass to go through those same expedited lines at participating airports, even when the member doesn't have a boarding pass for a flight that day.
Access to the PreCheck lanes is a key part of the benefit.
More than 20 U.S. airports already offer their own separate passes for visitors who want to enter the post-security parts of terminals. But those nonticketed pass holders have to go through the standard airport security line, even if they are TSA PreCheck members.
According to the official web page for Gateside by TSA PreCheck, the new program "is the only way non-travelers can access the airport beyond security while using the TSA PreCheck lanes."
Where is Gateside by TSA PreCheck available?
At the moment, the program is available at these 13 airports:
- Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) in Arizona
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Ohio
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Michigan
- Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in Kansas
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in Indiana
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Nevada
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California
- 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) in California
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah
The plan is to roll out the program to more airports in the coming months, per the TSA.
How can a TSA PreCheck member get a gate pass at a participating airport?
You have to apply for a pass online, and you must do so 1 to 3 days before your planned airport visit.
The application process requires creating a login.gov account or signing into your existing one.
In the TSA visitor pass portal, you'll need to enter your Known Traveler Number and other personal information, such as your name and date of birth, before submitting your application for approval.
Applying for a pass does not cost extra for PreCheck members (enrolling in a 5-year TSA PreCheck membership costs $76.75–$85, depending on the enrollment provider you choose; many travel credit cards will reimburse those fees).
Return to the portal's online dashboard to see your approval status. The TSA warns that incorrectly entering your personal info can result in a denial of your pass request.
Also, "each participating airport sets limits on the number of passes issued for each day," the agency points out without disclosing any numbers. So apparently your request for a pass could get denied because the airport has reached its pass limit for the day you selected.
How to use a TSA visitor pass at the airport
If approved, you will not get a paper or digital pass.
Instead, you'll simply bring an acceptable form of ID with you to the airport and head for the TSA PreCheck lanes.
The TSA agent might ask you to show your "portal dashboard on your mobile device showing your approved Gateside pass status," the TSA advises. Screenshots or printouts will not be accepted.
Children can come along without their own passes, though you will need to include any kids on your reservation using the "add visitor" option at the portal.
Passes are valid for one calendar day, during which reentry is permitted.
The Gateside by TSA PreCheck program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's effort to bring about a so-called "golden age of travel" by letting passengers keep their shoes on in the security line and tsk-tsking over people who wear pajamas at the airport.
One thing the golden age of air travel evidently does not include for air travelers, however, is improved consumer protections, which have become further tarnished over the last couple years.
To learn more about Gateside by TSA PreCheck or to apply for an airport visitor pass, go to TSA.gov.