Eppley Airfield to allow some visitors past security without a ticket in new program

Gateside by TSA PreCheck pilot indicates slight loosening of post-9/11 security measures as the nation marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Ryan Pitkin

September 10, 2026

Gateside by TSA PreCheck will allow members to apply for passes to access the terminal without a plane ticket. (CHUTTERSNAP/Unsplash)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a new pilot program that marks the first reversal of certain security measures that were implemented when the agency was formed in response to the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield will be among 13 airports across the country included in the newly announced Gateside by TSA PreCheck, which allows TSA PreCheck members to go beyond the TSA checkpoint even if they don’t have a plane ticket.

The pilot program allows PreCheck members to accompany family members and loved ones to their gate, greet arriving passengers, enjoy airport dining and shopping, or otherwise experience the terminal without taking a flight, according to a Sept. 10 release from the TSA.

The program will be free for PreCheck members, though TSA PreCheck itself costs between $76-$85 for five years. Members must apply for a Gateside pass at least one day before their visit and no more than three days in advance.

Eppley is one of 13 airports where Gateside by TSA PreCheck is being implemented with plans to roll out at more airports across the country in the coming months. The original launch will include:

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock, Arkansas
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas 
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Ohio
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) in Arizona
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)  
San Diego International Airport (SAN) 
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in Kansas
Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma City

As noted by The Reader, the pilot program launches at Eppley amid a $950-million renovation project that will include major upgrades to the terminal, pick-up and drop-off areas, and other developments.