Most U.S. airports use federal TSA screening, but airports can opt-in to private screening through the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), currently used at 22 airports. In 2026, the TSA launched a new, expanded version of this model called TSA Gold+, which pairs private screening with new technology and operational flexibility. Airports interested in private screening apply through their local Federal Security Director; approved private companies must be current SPP IDIQ contract holders, like BOS Security.
Airport security in the U.S. is shifting. Federal budget pressure on the TSA, ongoing staffing shortages, and the 2026 launch of the TSA’s new Gold+ program have all put private airport screening back at the center of the national conversation. This article breaks down how federal and private screening differ, what the Screening Partnership Program (SPP) and TSA Gold+ actually are, and what airport operators need to know before deciding which model fits their facility.
What Is the TSA Screening Partnership Program (SPP)?
The Screening Partnership Program (SPP) is a TSA initiative, in place since 2004, that allows private security companies to conduct passenger and baggage screening at select U.S. airports instead of federal Transportation Security Officers. As of 2026, 22 U.S. airports use SPP screening, including Tupelo Regional Airport, Kansas City International, and Orlando Sanford International. Private screeners operating under SPP must meet the same federal security standards as TSA officers and are still overseen and regulated by the TSA.
What is TSA Gold+?
TSA Gold+ is a public-private partnership program that was launched in 2026, building off the existing SPP model. Where SPP focuses primarily on staffing checkpoints with private screeners, TSA Gold+ pairs that private screening workforce with the TSA’s innovation authorities, allowing approved operators to manage both technology and staffing at a checkpoint. According to the TSA, the goal is to let airports tailor operations to their specific needs, adopt newer screening technology faster, and reduce exposure to disruptions like the staffing shortages seen during recent federal funding lapses, while the TSA continues to set and enforce federal security standards.
Tampa International, Des Moines International, and Charleston International were the first three airports to opt into TSA Gold+, and more airports are reportedly expressing interest. In practice, travelers at Gold+ airports shouldn’t notice a meaningfully different security experience, but the operator behind the checkpoint, and the technology it uses, may look different than at a traditional TSA-staffed airport.
TSA Gold+ vs. SPP, in short:
Gold+ is best understood as the next evolution of SPP. It uses the same underlying private-screening framework, but extends the operator’s role to include screening technology, not just staffing, and is explicitly framed by the TSA as a faster path to modernized checkpoints.
TSA Gold+ Update, August 2026:
In August 2026, TSA Administrator David P. Cummins announced that the TSA was eliminating the Gold+ program. TSA Gold+ will be replaced with Horizon 25 Strategy, an initiative that has three primary goals:
- Modernize TSA Checkpoints
- Improve the Traveler Experience
- Strengthen Multi-Modal Transportation Security
Horizon 25 will accelerate public-private partnerships to expand modernization across the Transportation Security Administration.
Federal vs. SPP vs. TSA Gold+: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Federal TSA Screening | Screening Partnership Program (SPP) | TSA Gold+ | |
| Who staffs the checkpoint? | Federal Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) | Private security company, IDIQ holders | Private security company, IDIQ holders |
| Who sets the security standard? | TSA | TSA | TSA |
| Who manages screening technology? | TSA | TSA | Private company (IDIQ holder), within TSA standards |
| When did the program start? | Post-9/11 (2001) | 2004 | 2026 |
| What airports are currently participating? | Most U.S. commercial airports | 22 airports (including Tupelo, Roswell, Sioux Falls) | 3 airports (Tampa, Des Moines, Charleston) and more expected |
| What is the exposure to federal funding lapses? | Higher- TSOs are federal employees | Lower- TSOs are employed by private companies | Lower- TSOs are employed by private companies |
| How does an airport opt-in? | No opt-in, the default model | Apply through local Federal Security Director | Apply through the TSA Gold+ program |
Why are U.S. Airports Considering Private Screening?
Federal Budget Pressure on the TSA
The Fiscal Year 2026 President’s Budget Request proposed roughly $247 million in TSA budget cuts, a reduction that could eliminate approximately 2% of existing Transportation Security Officer roles, alongside cuts to the Essential Air Service program. Airports that rely entirely on federal staffing have limited ability to offset shortfalls like this on their ownm which is one reason both SPP and Gold+ have drawn renewed interest in 2026.
Screening Performance
In 2015, ABC News reported that undercover tests conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General found that federal screeners failed to detect mock weapons or explosives in 67 out of 70 trials, a 95% failure rate. In a separate 2015 review, the Government Accountability Office found that screeners at SPP airports performed better on average than their federal counterparts under similar testing conditions.
Throughput and Cost
A 2011 study by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee found that a private-screening airport processed roughly 65% more passengers per screener than a comparable federally staffed airport, with fewer staff needed to handle equivalent passenger volume.
Staffing and Retention
Private screeners under SPP are required to receive pay and benefits comparable to federal TSOs while meeting the same training standards. Federal TSA checkpoints have historically had a notably higher officer turnover rate than SPP checkpoints, which increases the TSA’s ongoing recruiting and training costs.
How Does an Airport Opt into Private Screening?
- Apply: The airport applies through its local Federal Security Director (for SPP) or through the TSA’s Gold+ program application process.
- Review: The TSA reviews the application; approval timelines have historically run up to 12 months for SPP.
- Contractor selection: Only companies holding an active SPP IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity) contract are eligible to submit screening proposals. There are currently 27 companies, including BOS Security, holding active IDIQs.
- Transition: Once a contract is awarded, transition to private screening operations has typically taken 4-6 months.
- Ongoing oversight: The TSA continues to set and enforce federal security standards at the airport regardless of who staffs the checkpoint.
Frequently Asked Questions: Private vs. Federal Airport Security
Is airport security in the U.S. run by the government or a private company?
Most U.S. airports use federal TSA officers. However, 22 airports currently use private screening companies under the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, and a small but growing number are joining the newer TSA Gold+ program.
What’s the difference between SPP and TSA Gold+?
SPP allows private companies to staff checkpoints under federal oversight. TSA Gold+, launched in 2026, expands on that model by also letting the private operator manage screening technology at the checkpoint. The stated goal is faster innovation and reduced disruption from federal budget or staffing issues.
Which airports use private screening?
As of 2026, 22 airports participate in SPP, including San Francisco International and Kansas City International. Tampa, Des Moines, and Charleston International were the first three airports in TSA Gold+.
Is private airport screening as safe as TSA screening?
Private screeners operating under SPP or Gold+ must meet the same federal security standards as TSA officers and are directly overseen by the TSA. A 2015 GAO review found that SPP screeners performed comparably or better than federal screeners in testing at the time.
How does an airport switch to private screening?
The airport applies through its local Federal Security Director (SPP) or the TSA Gold+ application process. Only companies holding an active TSA SPP IDIQ contract are eligible to be awarded the work.
Does it cost airports more to use private screening?
The TSA has stated that participating airports incur no additional cost under Gold+, since the program funds the private operator directly rather than billing the airport.
Will passengers notice a difference at a private-screening airport?
Generally, no. Checkpoints staffed by private screeners under SPP or Gold+ follow the same TSA-set procedures and standards as federally staffed checkpoints.
Is Private Screening Right for Your Airport?
Each airport has discretion over whether to pursue private screening, but the TSA retains final approval over which companies are eligible IDIQ holders and which airports are approved for SPP or Gold+ participation. With federal budget pressure ongoing and TSA Gold+ actively expanding in 2026, more airports are likely to evaluate this option in the year ahead.
If you’re an airport operator weighing federal, SPP, or TSA Gold+ screening, BOS Security can walk you through what a transition would look like for your facility.