KCI launches new Guest Pass program. Here’s what you need to know
Kansas City International Airport announced a non-flyer program this week. It would allow people to accompany family and friends to and from gates or spend time inside the terminal without needing a plane ticket, prompting a question from a reader of The Star.
“What keeps someone from traveling on another person’s boarding pass?” the reader asked about the new Guest Pass program.
The Star posed the question to Justin Meyer, Kansas City’s aviation deputy director, who said he couldn’t speak to airline and security screening procedures. However, he added that he has been on flights where IDs rechecked at boarding.
The Guest Pass program enables anyone interested in visiting the airport to do so without requiring a plane ticket. After passing through security, people can shop, dine, explore the artwork and use other amenities, or accompany loved ones inside the terminal.
There are limitations on the number of people who can have access in an hour span, Meyer said. The aviation department is starting with a low number of passes being issued per hour, but hopes to expand that number soon.
Passes are granted on a first-come, first-served basis and may not be available at peak times.
The program, launched Monday, is something airport officials have wanted to offer since the terminal opened in February 2023. While it’s new to KCI, about 20 to 25 other airports across the nation offer a non-flyer program, said Melissa Cooper, director of aviation for the Kansas City Aviation Department, during a news conference Monday.
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
People interested in getting a guest pass can apply online at flykc.com/guest-pass, up to seven days in advance.
According to the website, the form will request a date of birth, gender, full legal name as it appears on a passport or a valid Real ID driver’s license, and an email address. People will also use the browser to take a photo of the ID — uploads of scanned IDs are not permitted. The application will then require people to select a two-hour entry window.
The Transportation Security Administration will review the application and determine whether to grant access. Those applying for same-day access will receive an email within 15 minutes letting them know whether they have been approved. If applying in advance, an email will be sent after midnight on the day of the approved visit. The guest pass will be attached to the email.
If approved, people then will proceed to the standard TSA security checkpoint — not PreCheck or Clear — at their scheduled time and show their ID and email with the guest pass. Printed guest passes are not permitted.
Once through security, visitors are allowed to stay up to six hours. Guest pass users must exit the terminal by 10 p.m., unless meeting a late-arriving flight.
Non-U.S. citizens are eligible for the program.
What is not allowed under the Guest Pass program
Like passengers, guests must comply with TSA screening procedures and are not allowed to bring in prohibited items. Outside food and beverages are not permitted.
The guest pass does not grant expedited entry, such as PreCheck or Clear. Non-flyers must wait in the general security line with the ticketed passengers to be screened.
Guests are allowed one personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse. Rolling or hand-carried luggage is not permitted.
The guest pass does not grant access to the jet bridges or aircraft. Nor can it be used to enter Escape Lounges or Delta Sky Lounge.
Ticketed passengers cannot use a guest pass on the same day they are traveling.
The pass also doesn’t grant access to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area inside the terminal. People can use guest passes to meet passengers traveling to other destinations at the gate of their departing flight once they have cleared U.S. Customs.
While in the terminal, participants are required to present their ID and pass when requested by TSA or airport officials.
How do families participate
The Guest Pass program is open to families, but everyone participating must complete an online registration and bring their electronic pass.
Those under 18 with a TSA-approved ID must complete the online registration and bring the same ID, accompanied by an adult.
For parents and guardians of children without a photo ID, they must complete the registration on behalf of the children. The parent registers first and, after scanning their ID, selects “Add Another Visitor,” which allows the adult to manually enter the child’s name, date of birth, and gender without requiring an ID for the child.
Parents and guardians must bring their pass as well as the children’s. One adult can accompany up to five children. Parents must escort the children at all times while in the terminal.
