Yes, you can accompany someone through TSA when the airline or airport issues you a gate pass or visitor pass and you clear standard screening.
Can You Accompany Someone Through TSA?
Type the phrase can you accompany someone through tsa? into a search bar and you will see parents, partners, and friends who want to walk a traveler to the gate. You cannot simply walk through security without a flight, yet in certain situations you can join someone with a gate pass.
The TSA checkpoint itself does not hand out special passes. Instead, airlines and some airports issue what many people call gate passes or escort passes. These passes let a non ticketed visitor pass through security with a traveler, as long as both follow the same rules as ordinary passengers.
When You Can And Cannot Go Through TSA With Someone
Policies differ slightly by airline and airport, yet the pattern is similar across the United States. In short, you need an approved reason, identification, and time to visit the ticket counter before screening. Without a pass in your name, you will stay outside the checkpoint.
| Scenario | Who Issues Access | What You Need |
|---|---|---|
| Escorting an unaccompanied minor to the gate | Airline ticket counter | Government ID, child’s booking, gate pass |
| Meeting an unaccompanied minor at arrival gate | Airline ticket counter at arrival airport | Government ID, listed as pickup adult, gate pass |
| Helping a traveler with a disability or medical condition | Airline, sometimes flagged through TSA Cares program | Government ID, note on reservation, gate pass |
| Escorting an elderly relative who needs help at the airport | Airline ticket counter | Government ID, reservation details, gate pass |
| Accompanying an active duty service member | Airline with proof of military status | Government ID, service member’s boarding pass, gate pass |
| Using an airport visitor pass program | Airport visitor pass portal or desk | Online application, government ID, same day approval |
| Simply wanting to shop or say goodbye at the gate | Airport, only where visitor programs exist | Visitor pass approval; otherwise you stay pre security |
If you want to stay with someone right up to boarding, a gate pass is usually the way to do it. Airlines issue these at their ticket counters, and they decide who qualifies. Typical reasons include unaccompanied minors, travelers who need physical help, language barriers, or complex medical gear.
Most airlines hand out gate passes on the day of travel, though a few let you request one in advance by phone. American Airlines, Southwest, United, and other large carriers all describe this process on their special assistance or unaccompanied minor pages, and the details change slightly between carriers.
Step By Step: How To Ask For A Gate Pass
Plan to arrive earlier than usual, because you will need time at the ticket counter before security. Here is the basic pattern that works at many airports:
- Arrive with the traveler and head to the airline ticket counter together.
- Explain briefly why you need to accompany that person through TSA to the gate.
- Show a government issued photo ID and any paperwork tied to the trip, such as the child’s confirmation email.
- Wait while the agent checks the policy and prints a gate pass in your name.
- Once you have the pass, go to the standard security checkpoint alongside the traveler.
- Present your gate pass, ID, and boarding pass for the traveler to the TSA officer.
- Proceed through screening exactly like any other passenger.
Airlines do not guarantee a gate pass even when your reason seems strong. They might limit non ticketed visitors during busy times or decline requests when staffing is tight. Because of that, it helps to think through a backup plan in case you end up saying goodbye before security.
Visitor Pass Programs At Select Airports
In recent years, some airports have revived visitor passes for people without tickets. Seattle Tacoma’s SEA Visitor Pass Program lets approved guests enter through a specific checkpoint after an online application. Other airports offer similar passes with local program names.
These programs do not replace airline gate passes for minors or travelers who need hands on help, yet they work well when you want to meet an arriving friend at the gate or share a meal before a flight. Check the airport website before you count on this option.
How TSA Handles Screening When You Escort Someone
When you accompany someone through TSA, the screening process itself hardly changes. You still line up at the same checkpoint, show ID, place your items in bins, and walk through the scanner when instructed. Your gate pass acts like a boarding pass for security purposes only; it does not put you on the flight.
You also follow the same rules on liquids, sharp items, and electronics. If you carry a bag for the traveler, the items inside still need to match TSA rules. Any issue that would delay a normal passenger, such as an oversized liquid container or prohibited item, can hold up both of you.
What About TSA PreCheck And Escorting Someone?
Many parents and partners wonder what happens if one person has TSA PreCheck and the other person is using a gate pass. TSA makes clear that gate passes do not carry PreCheck benefits, so you should plan to use the standard screening lane when you escort someone on a pass.
How TSA Cares Can Help Certain Travelers
For travelers with disabilities or serious medical needs, the TSA Cares program gives ways to arrange extra help at the checkpoint. You can call ahead and ask for a specially trained TSA officer who understands medical devices, mobility aids, and other sensitive issues.
This help does not replace the need for a gate pass when a caregiver wants to stay with the traveler through TSA. Instead, it works alongside airline policies. In many cases, the airline can flag the reservation for both the traveler and the helper, then issue a gate pass so they can clear security together.
Planning Around TSA Rules When You Cannot Go Through
Sometimes the airline simply will not issue a gate pass. You might reach the airport too late, run into staffing limits, or fly through an airport that chooses not to allow non ticketed visitors past security at all. When that happens, you still have ways to keep the trip smooth for the person you came to help.
Set Up The Traveler For A Low Stress Checkpoint
If you are dropping someone off, you can make the TSA line easier even if you cannot walk through it. Help the traveler repack bags so liquids sit in a clear bag, laptops are near the top, pockets stay empty, and they know where to show ID.
Plan Clear Meeting Spots After Security
When you cannot accompany someone through TSA, meeting points matter. Choose a visible landmark near the checkpoint on the secure side where they can wait after clearance, such as a large sign, information desk, or well known café. Swap photos of the area on your phones ahead of time so they know exactly where to go.
For arrivals, you can also choose a spot just outside the secured area, near baggage claim or a rideshare zone. Clear directions and written notes help teens, older relatives, and first time flyers feel less lost when they leave the checkpoint without you.
Gate Pass Tips For Specific Situations
By now, the phrase can you accompany someone through tsa? should feel more precise. The answer leans on why the traveler needs company and how early you arrange help. Here are common situations and what tends to work best for each one.
| Situation | Best First Move | Backup Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Young child flying alone | Book airline unaccompanied minor service and ask about gate passes during booking | Escort child to check in, review steps in detail, coordinate pickup adult at destination |
| Teen on first solo flight | Call airline before travel day to ask whether a parent escort gate pass is available | Walk teen to security, review liquids and laptop rules, agree on texting points |
| Traveler with mobility limits | Request wheelchair service and ask if a helper can get a gate pass too | Let airline staff push the chair and meet the traveler at the exit |
| Partner who feels anxious about flying | Ask the airline at check in whether a companion gate pass is allowed | Stay near the checkpoint entrance and keep the phone line open |
| Friend arriving on a domestic flight | Apply for an airport visitor pass where available | Meet near baggage claim or outside the terminal doors instead |
| Military member departing on orders | Ask the airline or a USO desk whether family gate passes are available | Hold a send off before security and connect again by call or video |
| Busy holiday travel day | Arrive early and expect stricter limits on gate passes | Plan meeting points in advance in case passes are not issued |
Final Thoughts On Walking Someone Through TSA
Can You Accompany Someone Through TSA? on a search page hints at a simple yes or no, yet real life sits in the middle. The system is built so that only people with a reason and a vetted pass step beyond the checkpoint without boarding a plane, which lets families care for kids, aging parents, or loved ones who need an extra hand while still limiting crowds in secure areas.
If walking a traveler to the gate matters to you, start early with the airline, watch for airport visitor pass options, and build backup plans in case a pass is not available. With modest planning and clear communication, you can keep trips smoother whether you stand at the gate or wave from the public side of the glass.