TSA pauses expansion of Gateside program that lets non-travelers through airport security

The Transportation Security Administration rolled out a new program in September that allows TSA PreCheck members to travel through airport security without a ticket, harkening back to the days before 9/11, when people could greet or bid farewell to their traveling loved ones right at the gate.But now it looks like TSA plans to roll that program back — at least for now.The Gateside by TSA PreCheck program launched in September 2026 at 13 airports as part of a pilot program. It appeared to quietly expand to 300 U.S. airports several weeks ago. While TSA did not publicize the change or update its website to include the broader list of airports, its application page for gate passes offered users a choice from that wider selection, and passes were offered.Related: Big changes for our favorite airport shortcuts: How TSA PreCheck, Clear, Global Entry are evolvingEarlier this week, however, the expansion appears to have been retracted, with only the original 13 airports available through the TSA's application portal.TSAA representative from the Norfolk Airport Authority in Virginia told local TV news station WAVY that the TSA had informed him that the program was on hold indefinitely, exc...