A new visitor pass program is available for people without airline tickets who want to meet their loved ones at the Glacier Park International Airport terminal gates or to enjoy the shops and dining offered past the security checkpoint.  

“The GPIA Visitor Pass program is a great opportunity for non-ticketed visitors to experience our newly expanded terminal on both sides of TSA and spend more time with family and friends before or after their travels,” said Glacier Airport Director Rob Ratkowski in a statement released Wednesday.  

To nab a pass, interested visitors must fill out an online application specific to the date and time of the planned visit. Applications can be submitted on the day of or up to seven days in advance. Passes are limited and given on a first-come, first-served basis. If the date or time slot is unavailable, it means the program has reached its daily capacity for that period. 

After the application is approved by the Transportation Security Administration, guests will receive an email with their pass. Guests should arrive at the airport with both their pass and photo ID. They will be subject to the same security screening process as ticketed passengers.  

The passes are valid for a single day beginning at the approved time until 9 p.m. Guests can exit and re-enter during the day but must go through security when returning. Guests looking to visit over multiple days must complete an application for each date.  

Before the Sep.11, 2001 terrorist attacks and subsequent creation of the TSA, airport security was largely minimal. Non-ticketed passengers following their loved ones through to the terminal gates was common.  

The TSA started allowing airports to offer visitor pass programs a few years ago, but it’s now becoming increasingly common, Ratkowski told the Daily Inter Lake.  

Pittsburgh International Airport became the first to introduce the program in 2017, and Missoula Montana Airport started offering a similar program last year 

But running a visitor pass program is an administrative headache, according to Ratkowski. That's why the airport partnered with a company to handle the vetting process and alleviate the burden.  

Ratkowski said he had been receiving requests from the community to allow non-ticketed visitors to eat and shop at the airport for quite a while. 

More information on Glacier Airport’s visitor pass program can be found at iflyglacier.com/visitor-pass.

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].