TSA brings back gate access for some people without plane tickets 25 years after 9/11

FILE - Travelers walk through a TSA security checkpoint at Reagan National Airport in Washington, March 24, 2026. Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption

LAS VEGAS — Airport security checkpoints have been the end of the line since soon after the 9/11 attacks for most friends and relatives who want to see off departing passengers. That is changing at some U.S. airports.

The Transportation Security Administration is allowing eligible TSA PreCheck members without tickets to pass through security and enter gate areas, reviving a tradition that largely disappeared after the attacks 25 years ago this week.

"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 said on its website.

The program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck" is free, but interested members must apply online one to three days before their planned visits and receive approval before going to the airport. If approved, they can enter security using a TSA PreCheck lane with an acceptable form of identification. The passes are valid for one calendar day, but reentries are allowed on that day.

TSA says members of other trusted-traveler programs who have a Known Traveler Number also can apply for access to the gates.

The program is initially available at 13 airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City International Airport, according to TSA. The agency says it plans to expand the program to more airports in the coming months.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks, individuals without tickets generally could accompany ticketed passengers to their gates. The attacks prompted sweeping changes to airport security, including restrictions on access to secure areas of airports.