Airports
TSA pauses Gateside expansion: non-flyer gate passes stay at 13 pilot airports only
The free program lets PreCheck members pass security without a ticket. A wider rollout appeared in October, but TSA has put it on hold.
By Patrick Karsh, Founder, Lounge Frog ·
Page updated October 2026.
TSA has put the brakes on Gateside, its new program that lets PreCheck members go through security without a plane ticket. The original 13 pilot airports keep it, but the wider rollout that appeared in early October is on hold with no end date.
WAVY-TV in Norfolk reported that TSA told airports "the Gateside by TSA PreCheck program is on hold indefinitely aside from the 13 airports in the pilot program." TSA has not explained why. View from the Wing also covered the pause on October 15.
What Gateside is
Gateside started on September 2. It lets approved visitors without a boarding pass enter the secure side of the airport, according to AFAR's launch report. Visitors can see someone off at the gate, meet an arriving flyer, keep a friend company on a layover or just use the shops and restaurants.
How it works:
- Only people eligible for TSA PreCheck can apply. That includes PreCheck members and members of programs with a Known Traveler Number, such as Global Entry.
- You apply online one to three days before the visit, using a Login.gov account, your personal details and your Known Traveler Number.
- Children can come along with an eligible parent or guardian if they are listed on the application.
- There is no paper pass. You show ID and the live Gateside page on your phone, then go through a PreCheck lane.
- Approval covers one calendar day, and you can leave and come back that day.
- It is free.
The 13 airports that keep it
The pilot airports are Mesa Gateway (Phoenix), Columbus, Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit, Wichita, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Omaha, San Diego and Salt Lake City. If you live near one of these, Gateside still works.
What changed
In early October, far more airports showed up in the Gateside app. Frommer's reported that more than 300 appeared in the airport menu. WAVY reported that Norfolk and Newport News were added on October 2, and Pittsburgh's WPXI reported that Pittsburgh was added too. Then, within two weeks, airports outside the pilot were told the program was on hold.
TSA has not said whether the wider rollout will return, or when. A TSA spokesperson did not answer questions about the pause, according to WAVY.
What it means for lounges
Gateside gets a visitor past security. It does not get them into a lounge. Nearly every airport lounge asks for a same-day boarding pass, and that is true for airline clubs, credit card lounges and Priority Pass lounges alike. So if you hoped to bring a Gateside guest into a club, plan to meet them at the gate or a restaurant instead.
What to do if you planned to use it
- If your airport is not one of the 13, assume Gateside is not available, even if the app lists it.
- If it is one of the 13, apply one to three days ahead and keep your phone charged, since the live page is your pass.
- Check TSA's Gateside page on the day. TSA says access can be limited at peak times.
My take
Gateside is a genuinely nice idea, and it brings back a small piece of how airports used to feel. I hope TSA sorts out whatever caused the pause and brings it to more airports. Until then, do not promise a relative a gate meet-up unless you are flying from one of the 13 pilot airports.
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