TSA considers allowing PreCheck passengers to carry water through security

WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is weighing a proposal that would allow some passengers to carry full water bottles through checkpoints, but only if they possess a paid membership status and happen to be at an airport equipped with specific, high-cost hardware.

Eligibility would be restricted to TSA PreCheck members at a select number of U.S. Airports. According to senior administration officials cited by Fox35orlando, the relaxation of the liquid rule is entirely dependent on the presence of advanced CT scanners. These machines are capable of distinguishing water from other liquids, a technical requirement that remains unmet on a national scale.

Related YouTube video

The Hardware Gap and Funding Hurdles

While the technology to screen full bottles already exists, the TSA has not acquired it in the quantities necessary to implement the change across all U.S. Airports. Furthermore, the agency currently lacks the funding required for such an expansion.

Because CT scanner deployment is uneven, a traveler might be permitted to carry water in one city but be forced to discard it in another. This specific risk has already been flagged by travelers in aviation forums, who noted the potential for confusion when "Airport + PreCheck variables" overlap.

TSA PreCheck, which typically costs less than $100 for a five-year membership, allows eligible travelers to use expedited lanes and keep shoes, belts, and light jackets on.

Post-9/11 Evolution and the 'Gateside' Pilot

These considerations come 25 years after the September 11, 2001, attacks, which fundamentally altered commercial aviation. Before that date, non-ticketed guests could accompany travelers to their departure gates. The subsequent creation of the TSA introduced strict screening, manual pat-downs, and the liquid restrictions that have defined the passenger experience for a generation.

According to Foxla, the agency is now attempting to soften some of these restrictions to improve its public image. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the goal is to help the passenger experience because the TSA sometimes kind of gets a bad name.

This move toward easing restrictions is already visible in the "Gateside by TSA PreCheck" pilot program. This initiative allows non-ticketed visitors to be escorted through security to greet or see off passengers at 13 participating airports, including Los Angeles International Airport. Access is strictly limited to those with active PreCheck status.

"We do annual background checks on you, so we know that you're low risk,"

Jessic Mayle, TSA spokesperson, via FoxLA

Hal Kempfer, a security specialist, noted that because terrorists in the 9/11 attacks trained themselves to fly the aircraft, the structural hardening of commercial flight decks will remain a permanent industry standard to prevent unauthorized cockpit access.

Comparison of Current and Proposed Access

Feature	General Passenger	TSA PreCheck Member
Footwear/Belts	Usually removed	Typically kept on
Water Bottles	Must be empty/discarded	Proposed: Full (at CT-equipped airports)
Guest Escorts	Not permitted	Permitted at 13 "Gateside" airports
Membership Cost	N/A	Less than $100 per 5 years

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be able to bring a full water bottle through security?

Only if you have TSA PreCheck status and are at an airport equipped with advanced CT scanners. This is currently a proposal and is not a nationwide rule.

What is the "Gateside" program?

It is a pilot program at 13 airports, including LAX, that allows TSA PreCheck members to bring non-ticketed guests through security to the airport gates.

Why isn't this available at every airport?

The TSA lacks the funding and the number of advanced CT scanners required to distinguish water from other liquids on a national scale.

Technological Requirements for Implementation

The transition toward allowing liquids depends on a specific hardware upgrade. According to senior administration officials cited by Fox35orlando, the proposal is limited to airports utilizing advanced CT scanners. These machines possess the technical capability to distinguish water from other liquids, a feature not currently available across the entire national airport network.

This technical gap creates a fragmented security experience. While the technology exists, the agency has not acquired these scanners on a scale sufficient for a nationwide rollout. Consequently, the rules would vary by location, meaning a traveler might be permitted to carry water at one checkpoint but required to discard it at another.

The agency is using these tiered permissions to address its public standing. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin noted that the TSA sometimes kind of gets a bad name and stated that these improvements are intended to help the passenger experience, according to FoxLA.

The timeline for these changes reflects a gradual reversal of the rigid protocols established shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks. While the agency is easing checkpoint restrictions, other security layers remain absolute. Security specialist Hal Kempfer explained that because the 9/11 hijackers trained themselves to fly, the industry will maintain the structural hardening of commercial flight decks to prevent unauthorized cockpit access.

The possibility of bringing water remains a proposal tied to infrastructure upgrades. The next step depends on the agency securing the funding and equipment necessary to expand the presence of advanced CT scanners across more U.S. Airports.