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Travelers departing from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) this summer may notice a faster and more streamlined security experience thanks to new self-service technology being tested by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The airport and TSA have installed eight automated e-Gates at Checkpoint 2 for passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck® and TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID. The technology uses facial matching to verify traveler identities and helps to improve security, increase checkpoint efficiency, and reduce wait times.
Under the new system, TSA PreCheck® passengers can insert a driver’s license or state-issued ID into the e-Gate reader or scan a passport or mobile ID. A camera then captures the passenger’s image and compares it with the identification document. After verifying travel details such as boarding status and screening eligibility, the gate opens automatically.
Passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID through participating airlines can move through the process even more quickly. Because their passport information is already linked to their frequent flyer profile, they only need to have their photo taken before the gate opens. This eliminates the need to present physical identification. The pilot program began in early May and will continue through July as TSA collects operational data and evaluates the technology’s effectiveness.
The timing is significant as Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) enters one of its busiest travel periods of the year. The airport processes approximately 35,000 passengers daily through its three security checkpoints (with summer volumes typically rising to around 40,000 travelers and occasionally reaching as many as 44,000 passengers per day).
While TSA estimates the e-Gates reduce processing time by only about three seconds per passenger, the cumulative impact can be substantial at an airport handling tens of thousands of travelers each day. The technology also allows TSA officers previously assigned to document checks to be redeployed to other critical areas, including baggage inspections, screening stations, and responses to security alarms or incidents.
CLT Federal Security Director, Greg Hawko, said:
CLT has invested in our security checkpoints, allowing us to test and try new things like e-Gates. We hope it’s here forever because our team loves it, the passengers love it, and it gives us an opportunity to make the process more streamlined.”
Anthony’s Take: I love anything that speeds up time at security. If the trial proves successful, the e-Gates could play a growing role in modernizing airport security screening while helping airports accommodate rising passenger numbers without significantly increasing staffing requirements.
(Image Credits: TSA and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
