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TSA is letting people without a plane ticket walk straight to the airport gate again, for the first time since 9/11.
The agency just launched Gateside by TSA PreCheck, a free pass that lets non-travelers skip the boarding pass requirement and go through security. TSA describes it plainly on its own site: "Gateside by TSA PreCheck is a free benefit of your TSA PreCheck membership." You can use it to greet someone stepping off a flight, see them off before takeoff, or just spend time together during a layover.
You need to already be a TSA PreCheck member or hold a Known Traveler Number, the ID number PreCheck issues when you enroll. PreCheck membership itself runs $76.75 for five years, though some credit cards cover that fee, so this new perk is really a bonus for people who already fly enough to have signed up.
Your approval status shows up on your login.gov dashboard, and once approved, the pass covers only that one visit, so you'll need to reapply each time you want to meet someone at the gate. You can bring your kids to the gate too, as long as you add them to your registration when you apply for your pass.
You'll need a REAL ID when you get to the airport. If you don't have one with you, you can verify your identity instead using TSA ConfirmID, though that option comes with a $45 fee.
Gateside is running as a pilot program at 13 airports: Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Columbus, Detroit, Wichita, Indianapolis, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Omaha, and Salt Lake City. TSA says it plans to add more airports in the coming months.
A few of these airports already run their own separate gate-pass programs. If your airport already has one, Gateside won't get you through the PreCheck lane there.
If you've got a flight to meet at one of the 13 pilot airports, the Gateside pass is worth setting up before your next trip. It's free, and applying takes just a few minutes.
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