It’s been nearly 25 years — since September 11, 2001 — that airport terminals were open to the public. Before 2001, anyone could enter and explore airport terminals, whether or not they were flying. It allowed friends and family to walk their friends to the boarding gates, meet friends and family when they deplaned, or just browse the terminal shops and restaurants.
Airport Guest Passes Are the Little-Known Way to Meet Family Inside the Airport
That access went away after the 9/11 attacks in the US, when TSA security effectively eliminated gate access to non-flyers. But since then, non-ticketed passengers have occasionally been let through security, usually when escorted by airport staff or hosts. However, in the last year, that’s gone from an unofficial one-off to a fully established program, as more than 20 airports around the US now have an official “guest pass” program. They allow people without airline tickets to enter the secure, post-security areas of airports. Once inside, they can access shops, restaurants, art installations, and other airport amenities. Airport guest pass holders still have to go through the same TSA security screening process under the same standards as ticketed passengers.
Why Guest Pass programs are becoming more popular
Guest-pass programs are becoming more popular for a simple reason: they help airports solve two problems at once. Allowing non-passengers to enter the terminals taps into a nostalgia for pre-9/11 travel, when the process of flying was a little more pleasant and felt a little more fun — something that the Department of Transportation itself has acknowledged is missing in modern travel. The newly launched airport guest pass program in Oakland, California, for example, cites that one of the program’s motivations is to “allow visitors to spend time with their friends and family at the airport.”
The second problem guest passes can solve is one of economics: Guest passes increase the number of people who can spend money inside the terminals, which is where most airports have their best restaurants and trendiest bars. In many large airports, international terminals have extremely high-end designer stores and one-of-a-kind restaurants from celebrity chefs and bakers. Creating an airport guest pass program will eventually bring more people into those shops and restaurants, many of which suffered during the COVID-19-related travel shutdowns.
How to get an airport guest pass
Getting a guest pass allows you to meet loved ones at the airport when they arrive. Photo: San Diego International Airport
Airports that offer guest passes all make clear on their program webpages that TSA has to review and approve each individual visitor application before it can be approved. Applicants need to provide identifying information and pass through the same security screening as ticketed passengers, and can be turned away if the TSA officer finds anything suspect. However, while TSA allows these programs to operate, it has no official stance or rules on how airports’ guest pass programs should operate, as long as they comply with security rules. But as of now, there’s no official information about the guest pass program on the TSA or Department of Homeland Security website.
That means each airport can operate its guest pass program as it sees fit. However, the most common method used by major airports is a standalone online application. Would-be pass holders apply on the airport website, after which their application is sent to TSA for vetting. If approved, they’re sent a digital guest pass for a specific date (and, sometimes, a specific terminal). Some airports cap the number of passes issued per day (Seattle uses 300 per day), or limit what days of the week have guest passes available, and the approval process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. To be on the safe side, it’s best to apply in advance: at least a week ahead of time, if you’re able.
A few airports, such as Ontario International Airport in California and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in Washington will issue same-day guest passes if space allows. You can usually find the details of how the programs work, as well as how far in advance the airport recommends applying, at the official airport guest pass page below.
- Akron-Canton Airport, Ohio: CAK Guest Pass Program
- Albuquerque International Sunport, New Mexico: FlySide Pass
- Capital Region International Airport, Michigan: LAN Visitor Pass
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Ohio: Hopkins Hangout Pass
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Michigan: DTW Destination Pass
- Kansas City International Airport, Missouri: MCI Guest Pass Program
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisiana: MSY Guest Pass
- Nashville International Airport, Tennessee: BNA Passport
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, California: OAK Guest Pass Program
- Ontario International Airport, California: ONT+ Visitor Pass Program
- Palm Springs International Airport, California: Stay & Play Visitor Pass
- Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania: Wingmate Pass
- San Antonio International Airport, Texas: SAT Pass
- San Diego International Airport, California: SAN Pass
- Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Washington: SEA Visitor Pass Program
- John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California: OC AirPass
- Tampa International Airport, Florida: TPA All Access Pass
- Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco, Washington: PSC Pass
- Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma: TUL Visitor Pass Program
- COMING SOON: San Francisco International Airport, California: SFO Guest Pass
- COMING SOON: Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania: MyPITpass (expected to re-start following airport expansions)
