SALT LAKE CITY (NEXSTAR) — A new TSA pilot program is bringing back the ability to walk your loved ones through the terminals without a ticket. It was a normal practice before 2001, and it wasn’t until it was gone that so many realized just how special that was.
Before 9/11, anyone could just walk through airport security and greet or say goodbye to friends and family right at the gate. The stricter policies over the last 25 years meant giving your hugs and watching loved ones leave from the TSA checkpoint or at the curb. In multiple states, TSA has once again started allowing non-ticketed visitors into the terminals.
Gateside by TSA PreCheck advertises itself as an exclusive benefit for trusted travelers and allows non-flyers to “return to the gate for welcomes and send-offs, meet friends during a layover, and enjoy dining and shopping.”
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So how does the program work? Those interested have to already be PreCheck certified or have a Known Traveler Number (KTNs). You then need to apply for the pass through TSA’s website 1-3 days before arriving. Approved visitors can then go through the same TSA screening as flyers. Take note though: airports can limit the number of daily passes, and they can pause it at anytime…