Tampa International, Charleston International and Des Moines International Airports will reportedly implement TSA’s Gold+ program next year
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NEED TO KNOW
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Tampa, Charleston, and Des Moines airports will reportedly adopt TSA’s Gold+ program, replacing federal agents with private contractors
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The program aims to modernize security with advanced technology and reduce disruptions during federal government shutdowns
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A TSA workers’ union opposes the move, calling it a step backward for aviation security after 9/11 reforms
Three airports across the United States have reportedly become the first facilities to opt into the TSA’s new private security model that allows third-party vendors to replace federal agents at security checkpoints. The news was met with strong opposition from the union that represents thousands of TSA workers.
Tampa International Airport in Florida, Charleston International Airport in South Carolina and Des Moines International Airport in Iowa plan to transition to TSA’s new Gold+ program, according to a July 22 report from the New York Times. The public-private partnership, first announced in a mass email to TSA staff in May, aims at “modernizing aviation security” through “tailored security screening” services unique to each facility’s needs and space.
The program is an extension of TSA’s existing Screening Partnership program, which currently contracts with private companies to operate screenings at 20 U.S. airports, including San Francisco International Airport and Kansas City International Airport.
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While TSA will maintain oversight into all operations, the agency says the program will “enhance security by enabling faster deployment of advanced technologies.” The agency promises travelers will experience a “faster, easier screening.”
A spokesperson for Tampa International Airport (TPA) confirmed to PEOPLE the facility is opting into the program, citing a reduction in disruptions caused by lapses in funding during federal government shutdowns and “greater flexibility in exploring new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology.”
Similarly, a press release from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) pointed to “greater workforce stability” during future federal disruptions. “TSA Gold+ aligns well with our primary gold which is to make travel EASY,” airport CEO Brian Mulcahy said in the release. “Travelers would continue to experience the same professional, secure screening process they’re accustomed to, but with newer technology that can help move people through the checkpoint more efficiently.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Charleston International Airport for comment.
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In response, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) — which represents 47,000 TSA officers — called the move a setback in aviation security.
“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. 11th terrorist attacks in 2001,” AFGE president Everett Kelley said in a July 21 press release. He added: “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.”
The union further points to President Donald Trump‘s administration’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal hoping to eliminate nearly 8,400 transportation security officers (TSOs). They claim about 4,500 of those positions would be replaced by private contractors.
Mulcahy says one of the “important aspects” of Gold+ is that current TSOs would have the first opportunity to continue serving at DSM after the airport selects a screening contractor. He says federal law required contractors to provide compensation and benefits comparable to today’s federal workforce.
Neither spokesperson for TPA nor DSM confirmed an implementation timeline for Gold+. However, the Times reports January 2027 for Des Moines, February 2027 for Charleston and May 2027 for Tampa, citing an email sent by the TSA to the union’s council president on Monday.
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America’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is considering joining the program. The Atlanta City Council voted 11-1 to direct the Department of Aviation to commission a study to look at the possibility of converting to the private security model, Fox 5 Atlanta reported in May.
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