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Access to U.S. boarding gates was heavily restricted after September 11, 2001; 25 years later, the TSA is beginning to restore that experience on a limited basis.

Image Credit: Magic K / Pexels




Hemisphere
HEMISPHERE -------------------------------4442NEWS STORY

TSA Allows Visitors Back at Airport Boarding Gates After 25 Years

A New Program Allows Certain People to Enter Secure Areas at 13 U.S. Airports Without an Airline Ticket

For nearly 25 years, accompanying a family member to an airport boarding gate has been a tradition largely absent from U.S. airports. Now, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is bringing back that possibility, although in a limited way, through a new program called Gateside by TSA PreCheck.

The initiative allows certain TSA PreCheck members and participants in other trusted-traveler programs to enter airport gate areas even when they do not have a flight that day. Once approved, they can accompany a family member to the gate, say goodbye before a trip, meet an arriving passenger, spend time with someone during a layover, or simply use restaurants and shops located beyond the security checkpoint.

The program is currently available at 13 airports: Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Columbus, Indianapolis, Omaha, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Mesa Gateway in Arizona. The TSA plans to expand it to additional airports in the coming months.

A Tradition That Disappeared After 9/11

The change is particularly notable because U.S. airports once routinely allowed family members and friends to accompany passengers all the way to the boarding gate. That practice changed dramatically after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when the United States introduced much stricter airport security measures.

The TSA itself notes that before 9/11, people authorized to enter secure airport areas could access them more freely. The new security system brought tighter access restrictions, federal screening and significantly expanded security procedures. The TSA was formally established under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, signed into law on November 19, 2001, just over two months after the attacks.

The transformation was enormous. The TSA began with roughly 100 employees working from folding tables at the Department of Transportation. Today, the agency oversees security at more than 440 federalized airports and screens approximately 2.2 million passengers every day.

The new program arrives as the United States approaches the 25th anniversary of 9/11, making the change more than a simple adjustment to airport access. It represents a limited return to a familiar part of air travel that disappeared as the country entered a new era of aviation security.

Entering Without a Ticket Does Not Mean Entering Without Screening

Gateside does not allow people to simply show up at an airport and walk through the security checkpoint. Applicants must request access online between one and three days before their planned visit, provide their Known Traveler Number (KTN), select the participating airport and wait for approval before arriving.

The authorization is free for eligible TSA PreCheck members and is valid for one calendar day. Approved visitors can re-enter the secure area during that same day. Children can also be included in a parent or guardian's application.

Participants must present valid identification and go through TSA security screening. They can use TSA PreCheck lanes, but they cannot use Touchless ID lanes and remain subject to the same security requirements and restrictions that apply to people entering the secure area as passengers.

There is even an alternative for people who do not have an acceptable form of identification. TSA ConfirmID can attempt to verify a person's identity for a $45 fee, although the agency warns that verification is not guaranteed.

Another interesting detail is that 21 U.S. airports had already created their own systems allowing some visitors without airline tickets to enter secure areas. Pittsburgh became the first major airport to introduce such a policy in 2017. Gateside is different because it is a TSA-operated program specifically connected to TSA PreCheck and other trusted-traveler programs.

The TSA says the initiative is intended to restore part of the more personal airport experience without abandoning the security measures established after 9/11. For some travelers, that will mean being able to accompany a child, an older relative or another family member to the gate. For others, it may mean meeting someone immediately after arrival or sharing a meal during a long layover.

For now, however, this remains an exception rather than a return to the pre-2001 airport model. Access is limited to people who receive advance authorization, participating airports and individuals who successfully pass through security screening.

By Heydi Bernal for Ruta Pantera on 9/8/2026 11:25:08 AM

Click on images to enlarge:
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--rutapanter.com--
References:
Associated Press. (2026, September 9). TSA launches program allowing non-travelers past security.
Transportation Security Administration. (2026, September 9). Gateside by TSA PreCheck.
Transportation Security Administration. (2022, September 2). Aviation Security: Then and Now.
Transportation Security Administration. TSA history and aviation security information.


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