U.S. airports are beginning to reintroduce limited “guest pass” programs that allow some non-traveling visitors to enter post‑security terminal areas — a practice that largely disappeared after the Sept. 11 attacks and the creation of the Transportation Security Administration.
Oakland’s new program
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) launched an “OAK Guest Pass” program on Dec. 15, 2025, allowing non‑passengers to go beyond checkpoints to meet and greet travelers at the gate, accompany someone to the boarding area, or use post‑security shops and dining.
Under OAK’s published rules, visitors can apply the day of the visit or up to seven days in advance by submitting information that matches a TSA‑approved photo ID (for example, a passport or REAL ID‑compliant driver’s license). The request is then reviewed by the TSA, with same‑day decisions described as arriving within about 15 minutes and advance requests receiving an approval status after midnight on the day of the visit. If a date or time slot is unavailable, OAK says capacity has been reached for that window.
Local coverage described the program as beginning Monday, Dec. 15, with airport officials saying it lets people drop someone off “all the way to the gate,” greet arrivals at the gate, or visit for food and drink. (ABC7)
Similar programs elsewhere
OAK is not the first U.S. airport to revive this concept. Seattle‑Tacoma International Airport has a long‑running SEA Visitor Pass program and FAQs that outlines how non‑ticketed visitors can access post‑security areas under defined constraints.
More broadly, the shift reflects how some airports are experimenting with letting terminals function again as destinations — while keeping the boarding‑pass requirement as the default rule for access to sterile areas.
What’s changing — and what isn’t
- Guest/visitor passes are not universal access. They are typically limited by airport capacity and subject to screening and approval, per OAK’s visitor pass rules.
- The programs still require standard TSA screening and presentation of acceptable identification.
- Airports can treat these programs as discretionary and reversible. OAK’s materials emphasize scheduled time slots and capacity limits, rather than permanent access, per the OAK Guest Pass program page.
Bottom line
A small but growing number of U.S. airports are reviving pre‑9/11‑style gate access in a controlled form through TSA‑approved visitor passes. Oakland’s new program is one of the latest examples, pairing online applications and time‑slot limits with the goal of letting families spend more time together inside the terminal.
