A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) logo is displayed at the Tom Bradley Terminal of Los Angeles International Airport, in Los Angeles, on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Etienne Laurent / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is moving forward with a new airport security initiative called TSA Gold+, a program that could significantly expand the role private companies play in passenger screening operations across the country.
What is TSA Gold+
What we know:
According to the TSA Gold+ website, the initiative is a new "public-private partnership" designed as a modernization effort focused on improving airport screening technology, checkpoint operations and overall traveler flow.
The Screening Partnership Program, a current private partnership contracted with TSA, operates the security screening at select airports. Under TSA Gold+, TSA would expand that and move more responsibility to private operators who would hire/manage workforce and invest in new screening technologies.
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A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent assists travelers at a security checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Monday, March 23, 2026. Photographer: Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Gett …
What this mean for travelers
Unlike pre-existing systems, such as TSA PreCheck, TSA Gold+ isn’t a membership or subscription service for passengers. There’s no direct cost to the consumer, but airports who opt-in can receive staffing, tech and maintenance at no additional cost. It would help airports avoid lengthy budget cycles and enable local decision-making.
So most travelers would not see an immediate impact on how they move through the airport, but the way checkpoints are managed will begin to change behind the scenes. Federal guidelines remain the same, but the change would help people experience faster and easier screenings with enhanced security and convenience.
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The backstory:
TSA is approaching their 25th anniversary. The agency has been directly impacted in recent months by a prolonged partial government shutdown that left thousands of workers without pay.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Transportation Security Agency. This story was reported from Orlando.