WeirdThings

Information checked September 11, 2026 · Initial 13-airport rollout

Gateside by TSA PreCheck: Can You Visit the Gate?

Gateside by TSA PreCheck lets approved, eligible visitors enter the secure side of participating airports without a boarding pass. The visit is free, but you must qualify, apply one to three days ahead and receive approval. You still go through security.

Use it for a gate-side goodbye, greeting an arriving traveler, meeting during a layover or visiting post-security restaurants and shops—not for boarding a flight.

Go to TSA’s official Gateside application and rules
Can I use Gateside?
Your situationWhat to do next
You have TSA PreCheck or another eligible trusted-traveler KTNCheck the airport list and request the visit through TSA.
You have an eligible KTN but no visit approvalComplete the request first. A KTN alone is not a Gateside authorization.
Your airport is not in the rollout belowCheck the official Gateside list then look for a separate airport visitor program.
You do not have eligible PreCheck benefitsRead the Airport Visitor Pass guide for other program types.
Your visit is today and you have not appliedGateside’s published application window is one to three days ahead; do not treat it as a walk-up pass.
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Why now

Gateside’s rollout creates a practical question beyond the announcement: can I use it at my airport, and what must I do before arriving?

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The connection

Why here

Can I use Gateside?

Your situationWhat to do next
You have TSA PreCheck or another eligible trusted-traveler KTNCheck the airport list and request the visit through TSA.
You have an eligible KTN but no visit approvalComplete the request first. A KTN alone is not a Gateside authorization.
Your airport is not in the rollout belowCheck the official Gateside list, then look for a separate airport visitor program.
You do not have eligible PreCheck benefitsRead the Airport Visitor Pass guide for other program types.
Your visit is today and you have not appliedGateside’s published application window is one to three days ahead; do not treat it as a walk-up pass.

[Go to TSA’s official Gateside application and rules](https://www.tsa.gov/gateside)

The application and approval are handled by TSA, not WeirdThings.

Which airports participate?

This is the initial 13-airport list reflected in TSA’s September 10, 2026 announcement. Use the official application’s available-airport list for your actual visit; the dated rollout list is not a promise of availability on every day.

CodeAirportLocation
AZAMesa Gateway AirportMesa, Arizona
CMHJohn Glenn Columbus International AirportColumbus, Ohio
DFWDallas Fort Worth International AirportDallas–Fort Worth, Texas
DTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit area, Michigan
ICTWichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National AirportWichita, Kansas
INDIndianapolis International AirportIndianapolis, Indiana
LASHarry Reid International AirportLas Vegas, Nevada
LAXLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles, California
LITBill and Hillary Clinton National AirportLittle Rock, Arkansas
OKCWill Rogers International AirportOklahoma City, Oklahoma
OMAEppley AirfieldOmaha, Nebraska
SANSan Diego International AirportSan Diego, California
SLCSalt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City, Utah

[Check availability and choose your airport with TSA](https://www.tsa.gov/gateside)

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More context

Context

Who qualifies—and is it really free?

The program serves eligible TSA PreCheck travelers, including qualifying members of other trusted-traveler programs using a Known Traveler Number. Having a KTN makes you eligible to request a visit; it does not guarantee approval.

Gateside itself is free. That does not make enrollment in a trusted-traveler program free, or remove ordinary airport expenses such as parking.

How to apply and arrive

  1. Start with the official Gateside page. Follow its sign-in and application steps.
  2. Request the correct airport and date one to three days before your visit. Enter the required personal details and eligible KTN.
  3. Check that the visit is approved. A submitted request is not an approval.
  4. Bring a REAL ID-compliant license or another TSA-accepted form of identification. Be ready to show your approved Gateside status in the online portal; this is not an airline boarding pass.
  5. Use the TSA PreCheck screening process and follow checkpoint instructions. Approval does not remove security screening.

Approved access lasts for the authorized calendar day, with same-day re-entry permitted under the program’s rules. It does not carry over to a different visit date. Include accompanying children through the registration process rather than assuming an adult’s approval covers everyone.

What Gateside does not let you do

It does not let you board a plane, bypass screening or assume every U.S. airport participates. It also does not turn a pending application into permission to enter. Availability can be limited, including during busy periods.

Gateside or an airport visitor pass?

Gateside is a specific TSA program. Separately, airports can operate local visitor programs, and airlines can issue escort passes in qualifying situations. Their eligibility and screening rules are not interchangeable.

Compare Gateside, local visitor programs and airline escort passes

Evidence

Sources

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