You can now spend time inside KCI without having a plane to catch. How it works
People wanting to delay their goodbyes or speed up their hellos will be able to do so under a new program that allows non-travelers to pass through security to meet their loved ones at the gates of Kansas City International Airport, city officials announced on Monday.
The Guest Pass program even allows people to spend up to six hours exploring the shops, restaurants and other amenities, whether you’re flying or not.
“No longer is KCI Airport perhaps a place you go to maybe once or twice a year, but it’s instead a place that everyone, every person throughout our region, gets a chance to be a part of,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas during a news conference at KCI, which is known to travelers by the airport code MCI.
The program opens up KCI, its restaurants, and businesses to others throughout the region, while also allowing families to connect with someone at the gate and build support for the community. It’s also the city to celebrate one of its best assets.
One of the things airport officials heard from the beginning as they planned the new single terminal was that people wanted to be able to see what was inside, said Melissa Cooper, director of aviation for the Kansas City Aviation Department.
They wanted to extend their goodbyes by having a last meal before the flight. They wanted to be able to help loved ones to and from their gates.
“People want to connect to this airport,” Cooper said. “They want to see the art. They want to see the world-class barbecue and restaurants and shops that we have. They want to be in the airport.”
The new terminal opened in February 2023, and officials stated at the time that they would work to implement such a program. It is a scalable program that allows only a small number of non-travelers per hour, so it should not affect how long travelers wait to go through TSA checkpoints or parking.
Although this is a first for KCI, it is not a new program. About 20-25 other airports across the nation have a guest program. The airport had to obtain the necessary equipment for the vetting process and then work with the TSA to ensure the program was the right size for KCI, Cooper said.
How the Guest Pass program works
The Guest Pass program was live on Monday. People can obtain a pass by visiting www.flykc.com/guestpass and completing the online application. The form will require your date of birth, gender, full legal name as it appears on your passport or valid Real ID driver’s license, and an email address.
People will then need to use the browser to take a photo of their ID; uploads of scanned IDs are not permitted. They must also select an entry window.
The TSA will then review the application and determine whether to allow access. If applying for same-day access, individuals are notified via email whether they have been approved or denied the pass within 15 minutes.
For those applying in up to 7 days in advance, they will receive an email of their status after midnight on the day of their approved visit. The guest pass will be in attached to the email.
Those approved will go through the standard TSA security checkpoint, not PreCheck or Clear, and undergo screening. They will need to open the guest pass attachment in their email and show it, along with their government photo ID, to the screening officer. Printed guest passes are not allowed.
Cooper noted that only personal items like a purse or briefcase are permitted, so don’t bring rolling bags, luggage and other unapproved items.
Entry is not permitted before the approved reservation start time. Also, stays are limited to 6 hours. People must exit the terminal by 10 p.m., unless meeting a late-arriving plane.
This story was originally published June 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM.
