Want to see a loved one off at the gate? TSA is testing a new program
The pilot gives eligible non-ticketed visitors access to secure airport areas at 13 airports, including LAX and San Diego International Airport.
The days of saying goodbye to a loved one before the security checkpoint could be changing, at least at some airports.
The Transportation Security Administration has launched a pilot program that allows eligible non-ticketed visitors to pass through airport security and enter post-security areas, potentially allowing them to walk a loved one to the gate or greet a family member arriving on a flight.
Called “Gateside by TSA PreCheck,” the program is currently available at 13 airports nationwide, including Los Angeles International Airport and San Diego International Airport.
For families, the program could mean more than just getting past the security checkpoint. It offers an opportunity to spend a little more time together before a flight, welcome someone home or meet a loved one inside the terminal.
The program is primarily aimed at TSA PreCheck members and other eligible individuals with a Known Traveler Number. Visitors must apply in advance and receive approval before entering the secure area.
Once approved, they still have to go through TSA screening and present an acceptable form of identification. The authorization is tied to the approved visit and does not serve as a standing pass for repeated access to secure airport areas.
There is no additional fee for the Gateside authorization beyond the cost of TSA PreCheck.
The pilot comes as airports across the country experiment with ways to allow non-ticketed visitors into secure areas while maintaining existing security requirements. Several Southern California airports already operate their own visitor-pass programs.
San Diego International Airport, for example, offers its SAN Pass program, which allows approved non-ticketed visitors into the secure areas of Terminals 1 and 2. Those visitors use the general security screening line and cannot use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR with the pass.
Other airports, including Ontario International Airport, John Wayne Airport and Palm Springs International Airport, have also introduced their own visitor-access programs.
The idea may feel familiar to travelers who remember flying before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Before 9/11, people without tickets could generally accompany friends and relatives farther into airport terminals, including to the gate.
The attacks led to sweeping changes in airport security, including the creation of the TSA and tighter restrictions on non-passengers entering secure areas.
Today, controlled visitor programs are offering a limited way back into that experience. Airports also have a business incentive to bring more people into post-security areas, where they can shop, dine and spend time inside the terminal.
Still, Gateside by TSA PreCheck is a pilot, not a nationwide change to airport security rules. Travelers interested in participating should check whether their airport is included, apply within the required window and wait for approval before arriving at the terminal.
For someone hoping to squeeze in one more hug before a flight, the program could make the airport goodbye look a little different.