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Saturday marks 20 years since 1st TSA checkpoint opened

April 29, 2022
4 min read
Saturday marks 20 years since 1st TSA checkpoint opened
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Saturday marks 20 years since the Transportation Security Administration began screening U.S. passengers, kicking off a new and unprecedented era of security at airports nationwide.

The agency, created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, marked the anniversary with a ceremony Friday at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in Maryland, the first airport to have its security checkpoints federalized on April 30, 2002. The ceremony included federal workers who were among the agency's first to screen passengers; 100 of the TSA's original agents still work at BWI today.

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The first TSA checkpoint in operation on April 30, 2002, at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). (Photo courtesy of the TSA)

Congress created the TSA in the months after 9/11, with President George W. Bush signing the law creating the agency on Nov. 19, 2001. Among other provisions, the law mandated passenger screening at airports by federal officials instead of private companies, along with a requirement that all baggage be examined prior to flights.

Less than six months later, the TSA stood up its first checkpoint at BWI, which served as a sort of pilot location for the agency as it tested policies and procedures before expanding to now 430 locations across the U.S.

The present day TSA at BWI. (Photo courtesy of TSA)

Related: Answering questions about PreCheck, Global Entry

In the 20 years since that spring 2002 day when federal agents began screening passengers, the agency’s checkpoints have become so synonymous with a trip to the airport, it’s almost hard to imagine air travel without them.

Plenty of travelers like myself cannot remember a time when a trip to the airport did not involve a pre-flight pass through a TSA checkpoint. I likewise find it even harder to imagine being allowed past airport security to, say, watch planes take off and land or greet an arriving family member at their gate — both of which, my father assures me, we did in the 1990s.

Taking such a laissez faire trip onto the airport concourse ceased to be an option after 9/11, though, as federal officials stepped up security. More than four years after beginning its operation, the TSA tightened its grip even further in 2006, after attempted attacks sparked the agency to require the removal of shoes and further regulate the carrying on of liquids, gels and aerosol substances.

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Related: Flying on a Friday or Sunday? Get to the airport earlier

Today, the TSA plays such a major role in every U.S. airport, I probably don’t even have to utter the entire phrase for you to identify the TSA’s associated command when I say “shoes,” “laptops” or “liquids.“

(Photo by George Frey/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

TPG’s staff has spent countless hours over the years pulling together our best advice on avoiding long TSA lines, making your trip through the checkpoint as pain-free as possible, and closely monitoring changes that could affect your future airport visits.

The agency’s existence has also inspired an entire set of programs, like TSA PreCheck and Clear, which offer wait-shortening benefits for paying members.

With more than 64,000 employees today, the TSA continues to roll out advancements – like an expansion of its CT-scan technology for carry-on baggage.

“We have made significant safety and security improvements,” TSA administrator David Pekoske said during Friday’s ceremony at BWI. “We are indeed leading the world in security globally.”

Featured image by Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
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  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
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  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
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  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees