TSA Pilots “Gateside” Program to Let Non-Ticketed Visitors Pass Through Security

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a pilot called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, permitting approved, non-ticketed visitors to clear security and enter the secure area of thirteen U.S. airports. Participants must already have TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number and apply one to three days before their visit. After screening in the PreCheck lane, the pass allows entry to gate-area restaurants, shops and the ability to accompany passengers to their departure gates, but it does not serve as a boarding pass.

Newsweek

The agency notes that the limited rollout will let it assess how additional visitors affect checkpoint flow and overall operations, with availability potentially restricted during peak periods. At Mesa Gateway Airport, communications director Ryan Smith highlighted the program’s usefulness for travelers with elderly parents or young children. Daren Griffin, president and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, called the pilot “an innovative program” that restores “special moments” such as gate-side farewells and shared meals.

Newsweek

“We have a lot of people, especially our passengers, that may have elderly parents or younger kids who are traveling,” — Ryan Smith, communications director

Newsweek

By loosening the post-9/11 rule that confined secure-area access to ticketed passengers, the Gateside pilot aims to revive the social aspect of air travel. Airports participating in the test, including Mesa Gateway (AZA) and John Glenn Columbus International Airport, anticipate that families will benefit from extended time together before flights, while the TSA monitors any operational or security implications.

Newsweek

The program represents a modest reversal of the sweeping restrictions imposed after the September 11, 2001 attacks, which limited non-ticketed access to gate areas. If the pilot proves successful, it could pave the way for broader adoption, reshaping the passenger experience without compromising the security framework that has governed U.S. airports for more than two decades.

Newsweek