TSA to Let Gateside by TSA Precheck Users Skip Ticket Requirement

The TSA launched Gateside by TSA PreCheck on September 2, 2026, allowing approved members to enter secure airport areas without a plane ticket. The pilot began at 13 U.S. airports.

The free pass gives approved visitors access to gates, shops and restaurants after security. It is valid for one calendar day and permits multiple entries that day.

No boarding pass is required. Visitors must show valid identification and follow the agency’s screening and conduct rules.

TSA officials described the access as reaching terminal areas beyond security “even when they aren’t flying.” Ryan Smith, director of communications for Mesa Gateway Airport, said the Arizona airport had already seen several uses for the program.

The rollout revives a more open airport experience, with approved visitors able to meet or accompany family and friends at the gate. It also creates a way to spend time at post-security shops and restaurants without traveling.

Visitors must apply before arriving at the terminal

Applicants need existing enrollment in the agency’s expedited screening program or a qualifying Known Traveler Number. A number by itself does not replace approval for a Gateside visit.

Requests go through the TSA Gateside portal. Applicants use a Login.gov account and submit the request 1 to 3 days before the planned visit.

The timing is narrow. Applications can arrive no earlier than 3 days and no later than 1 day before the visit. Approval must come before the applicant goes to the airport.

Children may join an approved adult when the adult includes them in the application. Each approved visitor must bring identification and use the designated PreCheck lane.

The normal rules remain in force. Visitors must comply with screening requirements and conduct rules while entering and using the secure area.

The first phase covers 13 airports in 12 states

The initial locations are spread across the country, with California hosting two participating airports.

The pilot includes major airports such as Dallas Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, along with regional locations including Mesa Gateway and Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National.

The access depends on an existing five-year enrollment

Enrollment in TSA PreCheck remains the gateway to the visitor program. Current enrollment generally costs between $76 and $85 and remains valid for five years.

The Gateside pass itself is free. Someone without the required enrollment cannot simply request a one-time airport visit through the pilot.

The agency is introducing the program in phases. Rollout descriptions indicate that additional airports may be added later, although the current phase is limited to the 13 locations listed above.

The program’s “complimentary benefit” framing links the new access to membership rather than to a separate airport admission product. The initial group gives enrolled members a way to greet and send off travelers from the secure side of the terminal.

The pilot began in September 2026, and each approved pass ends when that calendar day does. A visitor planning a return trip must submit another request within the required application window.