The TSA is finally scrapping ticket requirements at 13 airports, a massive shift that will fundamentally change how you fly

For decades, getting past airport security without a plane ticket has been almost impossible. Now, the TSA is bringing back something many travelers probably assumed was gone for good: the ability to walk all the way to the gate even if you aren’t flying.

Per TheHill, this new program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, allows eligible people without airline tickets to enter the secure side of participating airports. That means friends and family can accompany travelers to their gates, meet arriving passengers, or spend time inside the terminal beyond security.

There is one important catch. This isn’t the TSA simply throwing open the checkpoints to anyone who wants to wander around an airport. The program is currently limited to approved travelers who have TSA PreCheck or another trusted-traveler status that provides a Known Traveler Number, and it is only operating at 13 airports for now.

So what exactly is changing?

The big change is who gets to cross the security checkpoint. Approved Gateside visitors still have to go through TSA screening. Afterward, they can use the TSA PreCheck lane instead of needing an airline boarding pass to enter the secure area.

Once inside, they can do more than simply wave goodbye from the public terminal. TSA says the program can be used to walk a friend or family member to their gate, meet someone during a long layover, or visit restaurants and shops located beyond security.

The authorization is free, but visitors have to apply online in advance and receive approval before heading to the airport. An approved visitor shows identification and their Gateside status at the checkpoint, rather than presenting a normal boarding pass.

The program is initially available at Los Angeles International, Dallas Fort Worth International, Harry Reid International in Las Vegas, San Diego International, Salt Lake City International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, Indianapolis International, John Glenn Columbus International, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National, Will Rogers World, Eppley Airfield, Bill and Hillary Clinton National, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway.

For airports, the change also puts more people inside the secure terminal who otherwise would never make it past the checkpoint. That gives non-ticketed visitors access to the same restaurants and retail areas that ticketed passengers use.