TSA Gateside Rolled Back: Can You Use It at Honolulu Airport?
4 min read · Updated October 19, 2026
As of October 19, 2026. This is a news update with no affiliate links. Hawaii Reward Travel may earn a commission from card links elsewhere on our site. Our disclosure.
Quick overviewTap to expand
- TSA Gateside is not available at Honolulu (HNL) or any Hawaii airport as of October 19, 2026.
- Gateside by TSA PreCheck lets approved non-flyers with PreCheck go through security to the gate, free, with an application 1 to 3 days ahead.
- TSA quietly opened it to roughly 300 airports, then pulled it back to the original 13 pilot airports by mid-October 2026.
- Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Diego (SAN) are still on the list, which matters for island families with mainland ʻohana.
TSA Gateside, the program that lets non-ticketed visitors walk family to the gate, is back down to just 13 mainland airports, and Honolulu was never one of them. If you saw the headlines and pictured hugging your kids goodbye at the gate at HNL again, not yet. Here's what actually changed and where it still helps island families.
What did TSA change with the Gateside program?
Gateside by TSA PreCheck launched in early September 2026 at 13 pilot airports. TSA then quietly opened its application portal to a much wider list, reported at around 300 airports, without announcing it. By about October 15, 2026, the portal had shrunk back to the original 13, and TSA told airports the expansion is on hold.
Norfolk International Airport in Virginia said it was added October 2 and only learned it had been dropped when visitors complained. A Norfolk airport official said TSA told them the program "is on hold indefinitely aside from the 13 airports in the pilot program." Denver International confirmed it was also removed. TSA has not given a public reason, saying only that it is evaluating participation levels and assessing operational impacts.
Can I use TSA Gateside at Honolulu airport?
No. TSA Gateside is not available at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), and no Hawaii airport (HNL, OGG, KOA, LIH or ITO) is on the current list. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser confirmed HNL was not part of the program on September 9, 2026, and TSA did not respond when asked when Honolulu might be added.
Gateside only gets you to the gate. It never lets a visitor board a plane, and each approval covers one specific day at one airport. If your keiki or kupuna needs a gate escort at HNL today, call your airline directly about its escort pass rules.
Which airports still have TSA Gateside?
As of October 19, 2026, Gateside by TSA PreCheck is only offered at the 13 original pilot airports. Three of them are big ones for Hawaii travelers: Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego. That means your mainland family with PreCheck can meet you at the gate when you land there.
| Airport | Code | Why it matters for locals |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Reid International, Las Vegas | LAS | The ninth island. Family can meet you at the gate. |
| Los Angeles International | LAX | Top mainland gateway from HNL, OGG, KOA and LIH |
| San Diego International | SAN | Nonstops from Hawaii, plus lots of military ʻohana |
| Dallas Fort Worth International | DFW | Common connection point |
| Salt Lake City International | SLC | Common connection point |
| Detroit Metropolitan | DTW | Connection point |
| Phoenix-Mesa Gateway | AZA | Smaller Phoenix-area airport |
| Columbus, Indianapolis, Wichita, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Omaha | CMH, IND, ICT, LIT, OKC, OMA | Mostly connections and visiting family |
Planning a mainland run? See my guide to flying to the mainland from Hawaii.
How do you apply for a TSA Gateside pass?
You apply online through TSA, for free, 1 to 3 days before your visit. You need TSA PreCheck or another Known Traveler Number. There's no physical pass. You show your ID and approval at the PreCheck lane.
- Go to the Gateside page on tsa.gov and sign in with a Login.gov account.
- Enter your name, date of birth and Known Traveler Number exactly as they appear on your PreCheck record.
- Add any children to your application. Kids ride on the parent or guardian's request.
- Apply 1 to 3 days ahead. Airports can cap visitor numbers during busy periods.
- On visit day, bring acceptable ID (like a REAL ID or passport) and use the regular PreCheck lane, not the Touchless ID lane.
Don't have PreCheck yet? A lot of travel credit cards reimburse the PreCheck or Global Entry application fee, which pays off every time you leave the islands. I break down which cards make sense for locals in the best credit cards for Hawaii residents.
TSA Gateside FAQ for Hawaii travelers
Is TSA Gateside available at any Hawaii airport?
No. As of October 19, 2026, TSA Gateside is not offered at HNL, OGG, KOA, LIH or ITO. The program is limited to 13 mainland pilot airports after TSA paused a broader expansion in mid-October 2026. TSA says Gateside will roll out to more airports in the coming months but has not named dates or airports.
Does TSA Gateside cost money?
Gateside itself is free. You do need active TSA PreCheck or another Known Traveler Number, which has its own enrollment fee. If you don't have acceptable ID on visit day, TSA ConfirmID identity verification costs $45.
Can my kids come with me on a Gateside pass?
Yes. Children can join a Gateside visit when they are added to a parent or guardian's application. They don't need their own PreCheck membership to be included.
Why did TSA roll back Gateside?
TSA hasn't given a detailed public reason. The agency has said it is evaluating participation levels and assessing operational impacts at the pilot airports. The quiet expansion to roughly 300 airports was reversed by about October 15, 2026, and TSA told airports it is on hold indefinitely outside the original 13.
Can a Gateside visitor board the plane?
No. Gateside only gives approved non-travelers access to the secure side of the terminal for one approved day. Visitors can meet arriving family at the gate, see people off, or eat and shop past security, but they cannot board an aircraft.
Want to earn more credit card points?
Hawaii Reward Travel has helped over 400 clients in Hawaiʻi build a smarter card strategy, one free flight at a time.
See how coaching worksScottie's Take
Honestly, I was excited when Gateside launched. Anyone who grew up here remembers lei greetings right at the gate, and I'd love that for my own kids. But for us in Hawaii, this rollback changes nothing today because HNL was never on the list.
Where it does help is on the mainland side. If you're heading to Vegas, LAX or San Diego and your family there has PreCheck, have them apply 1 to 3 days before you land. Just check the TSA page right before, because this program has already changed twice in six weeks.
And if you still don't have PreCheck, get it. Use a card that covers the fee, and you'll thank yourself every time you're at HNL. Would you use Gateside if it came to Honolulu? Let me know in the comments or send me a message.
Sources
- TSA: Gateside by TSA PreCheck
- TSA: Gateside application portal
- KHON2: TSA rolls back program that allowed non-ticketed visitors into terminals (Oct 19, 2026)
- The Points Guy: TSA pauses Gateside expansion (Oct 16, 2026)
- Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Does Honolulu have new TSA gate pass? (Sept 9, 2026)
- Mesa Gateway Airport: Gateside launch release (Sept 2, 2026)
