Remember when seeing someone off at the airport actually meant taking them all the way to the gate?
If you’re Gen X or a Boomer, years back, we were able to hang out with family or friends until it was time for them to board, something that disappeared after 9/11. Well, more than two decades later, TSA is testing a little blast from the past with “Gateside, by TSA PreCheck,” a new pilot program, and yes, I appreciate the fact that an airport program is literally called a pilot program.
At 13 airports around the country, approved non-ticketed visitors can once again go through security and meet someone at the gate, see them off, or even grab a bite or drink with them during a layover, because ahead of TSA, a lot of terminals offer no more than a bench and a couple of vending machines!
There are some catches: you’ll need TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number, you have to apply for a Gateside pass ahead of time and availability may be limited during busy travel periods. But for families saying goodbye, welcoming someone home, or just wanting a little more time together before a flight, I LOVE this.
TSA says more airports are coming, too… so maybe someday “dropping you off at the airport” won’t automatically mean getting booted out of the car at Departures! Truthfully... I tend to at least park in the short term parking lot, to get a semi-proper goodbye :)
Read more here ➡️ Newsweek and for more info on signing up ➡️ TSA.gov.