FOX Business correspondent Ashley Webster reports on the TSA’s new Gateside program, which lets eligible TSA PreCheck members gain gate access without a ticket, as discussed on Varney & Co.
The TSA has introduced a program enabling qualified TSA PreCheck members who are not flying to clear security and enter gate areas, allowing them to welcome arriving travelers or farewell departing loved ones at U.S. airports.
Eligible TSA PreCheck members without tickets may pass through security and access gate areas, restoring a level of freedom that was curtailed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that prompted tighter airport security.
This initiative revives the pre‑9/11 practice of emotional send‑offs and reunions at gates. It also permits guests to meet travelers during layovers or to enjoy airport dining and shopping.
Post‑9/11, access beyond security checkpoints was largely confined to ticketed passengers, though airlines occasionally issued gate passes under specific conditions.
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The TSA has introduced a program that lets non‑ticketed guests clear security and enter restricted areas. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“As an exclusive benefit for our most trusted travelers, the new program streamlines gate access for welcomes and send‑offs, layover meet‑ups, and airport dining and shopping, restoring the experiences that once defined air travel,” the TSA said on its website.
The Gateside program by TSA PreCheck is complimentary. Members seeking a guest pass must submit an online application between one and three days prior to their visit and obtain approval before arriving at the airport.
Approved guests may use a TSA PreCheck lane with valid identification to clear security. Those lacking acceptable ID may use TSA ConfirmID for identity verification at a $45 cost; the TSA does not guarantee successful verification.
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The initiative restores the emotional send‑offs and reunions at gates that were typical before 9/11. (Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Guest passes are valid for a single calendar day, with reentries allowed within that period.
Children are permitted to clear security provided they are listed on their parent or guardian’s application.
The TSA indicated that holders of other trusted‑traveler program numbers, such as Known Traveler Numbers, may also apply for gate access.
The program is initially being implemented at 13 airports, among them Los Angeles International, San Diego International, Dallas‑Fort Worth International, Salt Lake City International, and Harry Reid International in Las Vegas.
Additional participating airports include Phoenix‑Mesa Gateway, John Glenn Columbus International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National, Indianapolis International, Bill and Hillary Clinton National, Will Rogers International, and Eppley Airfield.
The agency anticipates expanding the initiative to more airports in the coming months.
Twenty‑one airports nationwide have already implemented similar guest‑pass policies, allowing non‑ticketed visitors to clear security and enter terminals at no cost, with Pittsburgh International leading the effort in 2017.
