A TikTok posted by @lisaremillard on September 8 describes a new TSA program allowing some non-ticketed visitors to access airport gates for the first time in 25 years. The video had drawn more than 56,000 likes and 9,000 shares as of publication.
The TikToker said the TSA rolled out a pilot program called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, allowing people to welcome home or say goodbye to loved ones at the gate, or meet a friend stuck at a three-hour layover, even without an airline ticket. She said not everyone can participate and that the program is not yet available at every airport.
She said participants must already have TSA PreCheck, then log into their PreCheck account to apply for Gateside access between one and three days before their planned visit. If approved, she said visitors would bring their ID to the TSA PreCheck lane, presenting it along with their approval status on the PreCheck dashboard in place of a boarding pass.
The creator said the program is free for PreCheck holders, and that kids can also access gates without a ticket if accompanied by a parent or guardian who has PreCheck and has already been approved. She said 13 airports nationwide are currently participating, with more to be added in phases, and that availability may be limited during peak airline times.
@lisaremillard #tsa #airport #airportsecurity The TSA just announced it is now allowing certain non ticketed people to have gateside access to say goodbye or welcome home a loved one. This video explains who will qualify for gateside access and which airports are participating.
♬ original sound - ?The News Girl ?
She claimed gate access used to be standard before the September 11 attacks, when non-ticketed people could freely walk through terminals and roam concourses without showing ID or travel documents, security screenings were minimal, and travelers could bring full bottles of any liquid in their carry-ons, a period before the TSA was established. She said Congress created the TSA afterward, eliminated gate access for anyone without a ticket, and put today's rules in place.
Commenters were divided over the change. One commenter pushed back on that framing, recalling how airport access used to work. They wrote, "Am I the only one that's OK with this? We used to be able to walk people to the gate."
She noted that the Trump administration has discussed modernizing airport policy and has referenced a return to what it describes as a golden age of travel, though she said TSA did not give a specific reason for the program.
A different commenter pointed to another country's existing policy. They wrote, "Australia has had this for years. Not a big issue."
Readers can verify the program's existence and current status directly at tsa.gov. The details above otherwise reflect the account as shared on TikTok by @lisaremillard.
