Trump Administration Launches TSA Gold+ Private Screening Option at Additional Airports

The Trump administration introduced a new Screening Partnership Program variant called TSA Gold+ last month. Npr reported that the administration stated privatizing additional airports under the program would save tens of millions of dollars. The first airports joining TSA Gold+ are expected to be announced later this year.

Kansas City International Airport uses private contractors from VMD Corp. to staff passenger and baggage screening checkpoints. VMD Corp. is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Gabe Murphy, VMD's program manager at the airport, said the TSA maintains a security team there to audit contractors and verify compliance with TSA processes and procedures.

The Screening Partnership Program was created after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, allowing airports to use private firms instead of federal TSA officers. As of the reporting date, 20 airports participate in the SPP and 440 airports use federalized TSA screening.

Kansas City International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are the largest airports currently using private security under the SPP.

Federal law requires private contractors under the SPP to pay employees at least as much as comparable federal TSA workers. TSA officer wages improved following an omnibus budget bill passed in 2023. TSA and the American Federation of Government Employees reached a collective bargaining agreement in 2024, though the Trump administration has sought to revoke that agreement.

The American Federation of Government Employees union opposes the privatization plan. 's $803 million proposal to provide security at San Francisco International Airport was accepted and affirmed by the Government Accountability Office. Kim Fisher, VMD's head security-training instructor, oversees training at more than a dozen other VMD-operated airports and was heading to San Francisco as part of the transition.