There was a time when going all the way to the gate at a U.S. airport didn’t require a plane ticket at all. Friends and family could walk loved ones to their gate, meet them when they arrived, or even head airside just to shop or grab a meal.
Airport security was much simpler back then. As long as you made it through the metal detector without setting anything off, you could access the secure side of the airport whether you were flying or not.
Then came 9/11, and that era ended overnight.
Years later, though, a small number of airports began testing programs that once again allowed non-travelers past security, as long as they completed a TSA screening process beforehand.
And then the pandemic arrived, putting most of those programs on hold yet again.
Eventually, travel returned to something resembling normal, and many airports quietly brought back their “Visitor Pass” programs. Well, except for Pittsburgh. Their MyPITpass was the first guest pass program in the country, back in 2017, but it still hasn’t returned post-pandemic.
The programs to date
- Akron-Canton Airport (CAK): CAK Guest Pass
- Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ): FlySide Pass
- Bishop International Airport (FNT): FNT Visitor Pass
- Capital Region International Airport (LAN): LAN Visitor Pass
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE): The Hopkins Hangout
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE): Experience CAE Guest Pass
- Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW): DTW Destination Pass
- Eastern Iowa Airport (CID): CID Visitor Pass
- Glacier Park International Airport (FCA): GPIA Visitor Pass
- John Wayne Airport (SNA): OC AirPASS
- Kansas City International Airport (MCI): MCI Guest Pass
- Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT): Visitor’s Pass
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY): MSY Guest Pass
- Missoula Montana Airport (MSO): MSO Pass
- Nashville International Airport (BNA): BNA Passport
- Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA): XNA Guest Pass
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK): OAK Guest Pass
- Ontario International Airport (ONT): ONT+ Visitor Pass
- Orlando International Airport (MCO): Experience MCO Visitors Pass
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP): PSP Stay & Play Pass
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL): PHL Wingmate Guest Pass
- San Antonio International Airport (SAT): SAT Pass
- San Diego International Airport (SAN): SAN Pass
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA): Visitor Pass
- Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV): SHVip Visitor Pass
- Tampa International Airport (TPA): Tampa All Access Program
- Tri-Cities Airport (PSC): PSC Pass
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL): TUL Visitor Pass
The 29th airport: San Francisco International Airport
Last week, San Francisco International Airport quietly launched their own version of a visitor pass. It’s the 29th airport in the country to do so, post-pandemic.
Called Gate Explorer Pass, it allows approved visitors to go airside without a boarding pass. Like all other visitor pass programs that have been established, it requires potential visitors to apply for the program, so they can be vetted by the TSA. Here’s how SFO’s system works:
Step 1: Apply Online
- You can apply for a SFO Gate Explorer pass up to 30 days in advance of your visit.
- Same-day applications are accepted.
- Check that your information is accurate and provide your full legal name, date of birth, and sex, exactly as they appear on your government-issued ID.
- Each SFO Gate Explorer applicant must submit a Gate Explorer application. Applications for minors under the age of 18 are permitted with an adult over the age of 18 listed on the application. Approved minors must remain under adult escort during their Gate Explorer visit.
Step 2: Wait for Approval
Your application will be reviewed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Entrance into the secure side of the airport is subject to TSA screening and approval. Here’s what you can expect:
- Approved: After midnight on the day of your visit, you will receive an email with your SFO Gate Explorer.
- Denied: After midnight on the day of your request, you will receive notice of ineligibility for the program.
Step 3: Arrive with your SFO Gate Explorer
Bring your SFO Gate Explorer (digital or printed) to scan at your selected SFO Checkpoint. Be prepared to present your SFO Gate Explorer and TSA-approved photo ID to the TSA officer. Those without a valid SFO Gate Explorer will be denied entry.
A FAQ is on their website, for further questions.
SFO reserves the right to adjust, suspend or cancel the program at any time, based on airport operations or security requirements.
Our experience with a visitor’s pass program
I got to experience MCO’s visitor’s pass program in early 2024, when I was meeting my husband when he returned home from a flight. Although I didn’t get to meet him at the gate (he was returning from an international flight), it was still a simple process and a fun experience.
Programs like these obviously aren’t for everyone. But for aviation enthusiasts, parents traveling with young adults, or anyone who misses the old days of meeting loved ones right at the gate, they can be a surprisingly fun throwback.
And with SFO now joining the list, visitor pass programs don’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.
In fact, little by little, airports appear to be getting more comfortable bringing back at least a small piece of the pre-9/11 airport experience.
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