The Transportation Security Administration's new program that lets nonticketed TSA PreCheck members go beyond airport security checkpoints has been abruptly curtailed.
The program, dubbed Gateside by TSA PreCheck, launched in early September at 13 U.S. airports, giving some visitors without boarding passes the chance to see off departing loved ones or greet new arrivals right at the gate in a way unheard-of since 9/11.
After about a month, Gateside was quietly expanded to more than 300 airports across the country, as you could see on the online reservation portal TSA PreCheck members have to use in order to get a free airport visitor pass.
But now, less than 2 weeks later, the expansion has just as abruptly been paused—and with no explanation from the federal government.
Applications for visitor passes are only available for those with a Known Traveler Number (gained by being a PreCheck or Global Entry member) and must be reserved online 1 to 3 days before heading to the airport, where approved pass holders can use TSA PreCheck lanes to go through security even without tickets.
Provided, of course, the airport in question is part of the Gateside program. And all of a sudden there are far fewer airports that qualify.
Airports where Gateside by TSA PreCheck is still available
After the Gateside expansion earlier this month, the dropdown menu for selecting an airport on the visitor pass application page included hundreds of facilities—precisely 312 by our count.
Today, the same dropdown on the same page shows only the 13 airports where the Gateside program was originally launched: in Phoenix-Mesa; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas-Fort Worth; Detroit; Wichita, Kansas; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Little Rock, Arkansas; Oklahoma City; Omaha, Nebraska; San Diego; and Salt Lake City.
According to local news reports, airports not on that list were informed this week by government officials that all but the original baker's dozen Gateside locations would no longer be able to issue gate passes to nonticketed visitors.
“TSA has told us that the Gateside by TSA PreCheck program is on hold indefinitely aside from the 13 airports in the pilot program,” an official at the Norfolk Airport Authority in Virginia told reporters.
Why did TSA cut back its Gateside program for nonticketed visitors?
The TSA has not offered a reason for rolling back the program or provided details about when—or even if—Gateside will return to airports beyond the original 13.
Frommer's reached out to the TSA for clarification but we have not received a response. We'll provide an update if we hear back.
In the meantime, we can only speculate on the reasons for the sudden change.
It's possible, for instance, that the expansion occurred too rapidly and that airports and employees were unprepared. Travel commentator Gary Leff of View from the Wing surfaced social media posts about people with the new gate passes being turned away by airport security workers unfamiliar with the program.
To be clear, we have seen no reports that the Gateside program has caused any security issues at airports or that it has increased wait times for passengers.
In fact, the TSA's own FAQ for the program states that "each participating airport sets limits on the number of passes issued for each day"—which sounds like a good mechanism to keep lines in check.
So a solid explanation for pausing the program has yet to materialize.
We'll keep you posted. Even if the TSA won't.