The Salt Lake City International Airport. Photo: TownLift

Airport drop offs and pick ups may be getting a little sweeter. A new TSA program at SLC allows eligible non-ticketed visitors to head through security and greet, or say goodbye, to people at the gate.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Saying goodbye or greeting incoming travelers could soon look a little different at Salt Lake City International Airport.

A new Transportation Security Administration program is allowing eligible, non-ticketed visitors to pass through airport security and accompany friends or family members to the gate, something that generally has not been possible since security procedures tightened after 9/11.

Salt Lake City International Airport is one of 14 airports selected for the initial rollout of Gateside by TSA PreCheck, which launched this week. Under the program, TSA PreCheck members who are not flying can apply for permission to enter the secure area of the airport.

How Gateside works

The program is not an open invitation for anyone to walk through security without a ticket.

Visitors must be active TSA PreCheck members, which requires a paid membership, and apply for a Gateside pass in advance through the TSA website. Applications must be submitted one to three days before the planned airport visit, according to TSA.

Once approved, the visitor can go through the TSA checkpoint and into the airport’s secure area even though they do not have a boarding pass. They remain subject to TSA security screening.

The program expands on the limited gate-access passes airlines already provide at SLC. Currently, the airport says airlines can issue passes for people accompanying minors, elderly travelers, or passengers with accessibility needs who are flying alone. Those passes can also be used in some circumstances to meet passengers needing special assistance leaving the airport.

With Gateside, the visitor does not need to be assisting a passenger with a specific need in order to go to the gate.

The program is designed to allow people to spend time with travelers at the gate, whether that’s helping a family member get settled before a flight, saying goodbye to a loved one, or greeting someone arriving at the airport.

What it could mean at SLC and beyond

The program could have a particular impact in Salt Lake City, where airport reunions and farewells are a familiar sight.

Returning missionaries are among the travelers whose arrivals can draw large groups of family and friends to the airport. Under Gateside, eligible family members could potentially meet those travelers at the gate rather than waiting in the public areas of the terminal.

The program could also be useful for families traveling with children, people accompanying older relatives, and friends or family members who want to spend more time together before a flight.

Before the security changes that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, it was generally possible for non-ticketed visitors to accompany travelers farther into airports.

In recent years, access beyond security has generally been limited to passengers and people with special passes issued by airlines or airports.

Gateside provides a limited return to that experience while maintaining TSA screening requirements.

The program is initially being tested at a limited number of airports. TSA has not indicated that all airports will immediately adopt the program.

Those interested in using Gateside at SLC should apply through TSA one to three days before their planned visit and wait for approval before heading to the airport.