At least two U.S. airports are moving to privatize security and passenger screening operations under a new TSA program, and a third is exploring the same option.
TSA Gold+, an expansion of the existing Screening Partnership Program, allows airports to partner with private screening contractors, whose employees would perform the security functions normally carried out by TSA officers. Federal oversight remains in place, and security staff must meet TSA standards and use approved equipment.
The program was launched in May, shortly after the resolution of a partial government shutdown that cut off paychecks for TSA workers, along with other Department of Homeland Security employees. The funding deadlock caused some TSA officers to call out sick, quit, or take on a second job, which reduced staffing at checkpoints and increased security wait times. At some large airports, waits of three or four hours became common on busy travel days.
The TSA is still in the process of establishing requirements for Gold+.
Tampa International Airport in Florida confirmed to AirlineGeeks on Thursday that it “has opted in” to the program.
“TPA’s decision to join TSA Gold+ reflects the airport’s strong commitment to modernization, innovation, and operational resilience in aviation security,” the airport said in a statement. “The change to privatization not only reduces disruption risks caused by lapses in federal appropriations or government shutdowns but also allows greater flexibility in exploring new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology to enhance the customer experience.”
Similarly, Charleston International Airport in South Carolina told AirlineGeeks that it is “formally pursuing” a transition to Gold+.
The airport said that every current TSA officer at Charleston who wishes to remain will have the opportunity to transition to the screening contractor at equivalent pay and benefits. The new system will eliminate the uncertainty caused by past government shutdowns, it added, while also providing workers with next-generation screening technology.
“Our TSA officers are among the very best in the nation,” Elliott Summey, president and CEO of Charleston International Airport, said in a news release. “This decision is about investing in the people who protect our travelers every day by providing them with better tools, greater workplace stability, and the support they deserve while continuing to deliver the highest level of aviation security.”
Des Moines International Airport in Iowa said Thursday that it is “exploring participation” in Gold+ as it prepares to open its new terminal in 2027.
“Our first priority is always the safety and security of our passengers,” Des Moines Airport Authority CEO Brian Mulcahy said in a statement. “This is a TSA program that offers the opportunity to pair TSA’s security oversight with some of the newest checkpoint technology available. As we prepare to open our new terminal, we’re excited for this leap forward in technology that would improve the passenger experience.”
Like his counterpart in Charleston, Mulcahy emphasized that TSA officers at Des Moines would have the option of joining a future contractor.
“TSA officers have done an outstanding job serving Central Iowa, and we recognize there is uncertainty whenever a new program is discussed,” he added. “One of the important aspects of TSA Gold+ is that our current TSOs have the first opportunity to continue serving at DSM after TSA selects a screening contractor. Federal law also requires that contractors provide compensation and benefits commensurate with today’s federal workforce.”
The airport said it will continue to work with TSA as Gold+ is developed. Any decision on participation will be made after additional evaluation and coordination with the agency, it said.
Union Response
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents around 47,000 TSA officers, denounced Gold+ on Tuesday after being notified by the TSA about the potential entry of Tampa, Charleston, and Des Moines into the program.
Privatization risks undoing many of the positive advancements in airport security and screening made over the last several decades, the union argued.
“Make no mistake, this is a major departure and step backwards from the aviation screening security system that Congress created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the deadly bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland in 1988,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement. “Changes of this magnitude should not be made behind closed doors without the input of Congress, the flying public, the local airport authorities, and TSA employees themselves.”
AFGE also framed Gold+ as one part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle the TSA in its current form. The organization cited a proposal in the White House’s 2027 budget that would eliminated 8,400 TSA positions and replace about 4,500 of them with private contractors.
“The Trump administration’s clear objective is to ultimately privatize all aviation security screening functions, and we don’t have to theorize about what that may look like because we have been through this before and witnessed the devastating and deadly consequences,” Kelley said. “The administration’s actions should concern all Americans, and AFGE will continue to speak out against any proposal that threatens our members’ jobs and jeopardizes the safety of the flying public.”
The TSA was created in November 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Prior to that, airport screening was handled by a large number of private companies.
