TSA PreCheck Members Allowed to Access Airport Gates Without Tickets

Travelers and their companions have faced restrictions at airport security checkpoints since the 9/11 attacks. Friends and family typically stop at checkpoints without reaching the boarding gates. This is changing at select U.S. airports.

The Transportation Security Administration is now permitting certain TSA PreCheck members to pass through security without tickets. This restores a tradition lost after the events of 9/11, when airport access became highly restricted.

“As an exclusive benefit for our most trusted travelers, this new program makes it easier to return to the gate for welcomes and send-offs, meet friends during a layover, and enjoy dining and shopping along the way, bringing back the moments that once defined air travel,” TSA explained on its website.

The program, named “Gateside by TSA PreCheck,” is available without charge. However, interested members must apply online between one to three days before their intended visit. Approval is required before airport entry.

Upon approval, members use a TSA PreCheck lane with valid ID to access secured areas. Passes issued are valid for one day, with multiple same-day entries allowed.

TSA notes that members of other trusted-traveler programs with a Known Traveler Number can also apply.

Currently, the program operates at 13 airports. These include Los Angeles International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City International Airport. Expansion to additional airports is planned in the coming months.

Prior to the 9/11 attacks, non-ticketed individuals commonly accompanied passengers to their gates. Post-9/11 security reforms restricted access to secure areas, a change now being partially reversed.