DENVER, Colorado — October 16, 2026. Denver International Airport (DEN) says TSA has quietly withdrawn its “Gateside” visitor program from Denver and hundreds of other airports, returning it to only the 13 airports where it first launched in September.
What happened
- Gateside by TSA PreCheck lets PreCheck members who are not flying go through security to see off or meet a traveler at the gate, visit during a layover, or use airside shops and restaurants. Visitors applied one to three days ahead using their Known Traveler Number.
- The program started in September 2026 at 13 airports. In early October, TSA press releases and its application listed hundreds more airports.
- Within days, the expansion was reversed without a public announcement. Denver said TSA “returned Gateside by TSA PreCheck operations to the original 13 participating airports.”
- Norfolk International (ORF) said it learned of the change only through customer complaints and found itself missing from the TSA portal.
- According to View from the Wing, TSA told airports the program is on hold indefinitely outside the pilot airports. TSA has not given a reason or a restart date (TBA) and did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
- View from the Wing also reported that some approved visitors were turned away at DFW because checkpoint staff had not been trained on the program or could not find the approval.
Where Gateside still operates
| Airport | Code |
|---|---|
| Dallas Fort Worth International | DFW |
| Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County | DTW |
| Harry Reid International, Las Vegas | LAS |
| Los Angeles International | LAX |
| San Diego International | SAN |
| Salt Lake City International | SLC |
| Indianapolis International | IND |
| John Glenn Columbus International | CMH |
| Will Rogers International, Oklahoma City | OKC |
| Clinton National, Little Rock | LIT |
| Eppley Airfield, Omaha | OMA |
| Eisenhower National, Wichita | ICT |
| Phoenix-Mesa Gateway | AZA |
What it means for non-revs
- Family drop-offs at the gate are off again at DEN. If you were planning to have a PreCheck family member walk you or your kids to the gate in Denver, Norfolk or another expansion airport, that option is gone for now.
- Re-check any approval. A Gateside approval for an airport not on the 13-airport list may not be honored. Even at pilot airports, have a plan B, since some visitors were reportedly turned away at DFW.
- Peak limits apply. TSA guidance says Gateside availability can be limited during busy periods, so do not count on it for an early-morning standby push.
- Your own screening is unchanged. This affects non-flying visitors only; travelers with boarding passes go through security as before.
Sources
- CNN via KSL.com — TSA scales back PreCheck benefit announced just weeks ago
- AirlineGeeks — TSA Pauses ‘Gateside’ Expansion
- View from the Wing — TSA Pulls Back Free Passes To Meet Family At The Gate—300-Airport Expansion Halted Without Explanation
- Quartz — TSA scales back Gateside PreCheck to its original 13 airports
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