TSA Launches Gold+ Program to Privatize Airport Security Screening

The Transportation Security Administration launched the Gold+ initiative to allow airports to use private security contractors and technology for screening operations. The program aims to eliminate operational disruptions caused by federal government shutdowns and bypass federal procurement delays. Tampa International, Des Moines International, and Charleston International airports are the first to adopt the model, with transitions scheduled for January 2027 in Des Moines, February 2027 in Charleston, and May 2027 in Tampa.

This shift aligns with a broader Trump administration effort to privatize airport security, including a proposed 2027 federal budget that would eliminate 8,400 federal security positions. While the TSA will maintain regulatory oversight, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is also conducting a study to evaluate if it should privatize its screening operations.

The American Federation of Government Employees, representing 47,000 TSA agents, strongly opposes the program. Union leadership argues that the move prioritizes profit over safety and undermines the federal security system established after the September 11 attacks. National president Everett Kelley warned that the transition represents a major departure from the aviation screening system created by Congress in 2001.