Airport Experience® News - Retail & Amenities Issue 2023

Airports Are Facilitating Post-Security Access For Non-Ticketed Passengers BY SARAH BEL ING Backstage Pass

While modern travelers are by now familiar with intense security restrictions, a small but growing number of airports have adopted and retained non-ticketed guest pass programs—citing newways to engage locals with ever-expanding post-security amenities. Guest pass programs — in which visitors apply for a day pass to take through TSA security checkpoints, giving them access to airport concessions and the ability to meet friends and family at their arrival or departure gates — have surfaced in recent years and are gaining traction in U.S. airports. Most programs are relatively low impact, with usage rates varying widely by airport and participation rates ranging anywhere from 80 to 3,500 visitors a month. Some programs, such as Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport’s (DTW) Destination Pass and Seattle Tacoma International Airport’s (SEA) Visitor Pass kicked off with beta initiatives

Left: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport paused its nascent guest pass program at the start of the pandemic, but demand prompted a restart once the pandemic had waned.

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