A nostalgic pre-9/11 airport tradition — saying goodbye to loved ones right at the gate or greeting arrivals as they step off the plane — is making a comeback at select U.S. airports through new visitor pass programs.
However, travelers and families in Atlanta will have to wait, as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport, is not currently participating in these initiatives.
U.S. Airports Increasingly Allowing Gate ‘Guest Passes’
Several airports nationwide have introduced “guest passes” allowing non-ticketed visitors to apply in advance, undergo TSA vetting, and pass through security to access gates, shops, and restaurants airside.
Oakland International Airport (OAK) in California is the latest to launch such a program this week, joining others like Cleveland Hopkins (Hangout Pass), San Antonio (SAT Pass), Kansas City (Guest Pass), Philadelphia (Wingmate Pass), and Detroit Metropolitan (Destination Pass).
These programs require visitors to submit applications online up to seven days ahead, receive TSA approval, and present a digital or printed pass along with a valid photo ID (such as a Real ID or passport) at the checkpoint.
Participants go through the same standard TSA screening as ticketed passengers.
The shift revives a practice common before the September 11, 2001, attacks, when anyone could accompany family or friends to the gate or even hang out at the airport to watch planes.
Post-9/11, the newly created TSA restricted secure areas to boarding pass holders only for enhanced security.
Many Atlantans may feel a twinge of nostalgia reading about these changes elsewhere. Reddit users in travel forums often reminisce about the old days: “Family could accompany you to the gate,” one wrote, while another recalled “greeting someone at the gate was nice” or simply watching takeoffs and landings as a fun outing.
At ATL, access beyond security remains limited to ticketed passengers.
The airport does allow airlines to issue limited escort passes at their discretion for cases like accompanying unaccompanied minors or passengers needing assistance due to disability. But no general visitor pass program is available, per the latest information on the official ATL website.
As holiday travel ramps up through Atlanta’s massive hub — with millions passing through during peak seasons — local families will continue saying goodbyes curbside or in the pre-security atriums.
Airport officials have not announced any plans to join the trend, though similar programs at other major airports could inspire future changes.
For now, if you’re flying out of ATL, pack those hugs in before the security line. Safe travels, Atlanta.
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