HOUSTON – A new Transportation Security Administration program is allowing some people without airline tickets to pass through security and meet family members or friends at their gates.
The free program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, is available to people eligible to use TSA PreCheck screening. Approved visitors can use the program to welcome or see off loved ones, meet someone during a long layover, greet service members returning from deployment or visit airport restaurants and stores beyond the security checkpoint.
The program is not currently available at George Bush Intercontinental Airport or William P. Hobby Airport.
The closest participating airport to Houston is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. TSA said it plans to add more airports through a phased expansion.
Who is eligible?
The program is available to TSA PreCheck members, certain federal employees and members of other trusted-traveler programs who are eligible for TSA PreCheck screening.
Applicants must submit a request through the Gateside by TSA PreCheck online portal at least one day before their planned visit and no more than three days in advance.
Personal information entered into the portal—including the applicant’s name, date of birth and Known Traveler Number—must exactly match the information associated with their TSA PreCheck membership.
Each participating airport limits the number of passes issued per day, so an application may be denied if the airport reaches its daily capacity.
How does the pass work?
Approved visitors will not receive a paper or digital pass resembling an airline boarding pass.
Instead, they must present an acceptable form of identification at a TSA PreCheck security lane. A TSA officer may also require the visitor to open the Gateside portal on a mobile device to show the approved status. Screenshots and printed copies will not be accepted.
Visitors should check the portal before heading to the airport because their approval status can change.
Gateside visitors cannot use TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lanes. If a TSA PreCheck lane is closed, an officer may direct them to a standard screening lane.
Visitors are subject to the same security rules and restrictions as ticketed passengers. Gateside passes are valid for one calendar day and can be used for re-entry on that date.
Can children come along?
Yes. Children must be included on the application through the “add visitor” option.
At the checkpoint, the adult will need to open the portal to verify that everyone in the group is listed on the approved registration.
How is this different from an airline gate pass?
Airlines typically issue gate passes only under limited circumstances, such as when someone is accompanying a minor, a traveler with a disability or a military member.
People using an airline-issued gate pass must go through a standard TSA screening lane—even if they are TSA PreCheck members.
Gateside is available for a broader range of purposes and allows approved visitors to use TSA PreCheck screening lanes at participating airports.
Where is Gateside available?
TSA’s published launch list names the following 13 airports:
Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona
John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas
Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana
Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada
Los Angeles International Airport in California
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas
Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma
Eppley Airfield in Nebraska
San Diego International Airport in California
Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah
TSA said additional airports will be added in phases.
KPRC 2 asked TSA on how soon the program could come to Houston. A spokesperson said:
“We are conducting an operational assessment at 13 airports. The assessment will determine if we roll it out to more airports. We are hopefully to expand the program by the end of the year.”
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.