If you’re flying United out of Newark Liberty International Airport, the first part of airport security may now look very different. New automated TSA “e-gates” are live in Terminal C, allowing certain passengers to verify their identity without stopping to hand an officer a physical ID or boarding pass.
The catch is that this is not a shortcut available to everyone. Right now, the new gates are for eligible United passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck who have also opted in to United’s Touchless ID program.
For travelers who qualify, the process is simple: walk up to the gate, have your photo taken, let the system verify your identity and continue toward the normal baggage and passenger screening area. Local reporting from NBC New York says TSA officials at Newark described the identity check as taking under three seconds.
What exactly changed at Newark?
The Transportation Security Administration has added automated identity-verification gates at United’s Terminal C security checkpoint at Newark. Instead of the usual stop where a TSA officer checks your identification and boarding pass, the e-gate uses a live photo to match you with identity information already on file.
This builds on TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, which United has already expanded at several of its hubs. United previously announced Touchless ID expansion to Newark as part of a broader effort to make the airport process more digital.
The e-gate is essentially another step in that process: rather than simply using facial matching at a staffed identity checkpoint, eligible passengers can pass through an automated gate before continuing to the regular security screening.
That last part matters. The e-gate does not mean you get to skip TSA screening. You and your carry-on bags still go through the normal security process after your identity is verified.
Who can actually use the new TSA e-gates?
At the moment, the group is fairly specific. According to reporting on the Newark rollout, you need to be flying United from Terminal C, be enrolled in TSA PreCheck and opt in to TSA PreCheck Touchless ID through United.
United’s Touchless ID setup relies on information connected to your traveler profile, including your Known Traveler Number and passport information. Eligible travelers can opt in through United’s digital tools before reaching the airport.
If you fly through Newark only occasionally, the easiest way to think about it is this: having TSA PreCheck by itself does not automatically put you through an e-gate. The Touchless ID enrollment is an additional step.
Do you still need to bring an ID?
Yes. Even if you plan to use Touchless ID, bringing an acceptable physical ID is still the smart move.
TSA’s current identification rules require adult passengers to travel with acceptable identification, such as a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another accepted document. You can see the agency’s current list of acceptable TSA identification before you leave for the airport.
The new technology changes how eligible passengers may verify their identity at a participating checkpoint. It is not a good reason to leave your wallet or passport at home.
What happens to your photo?
The use of facial matching is likely to be the part some travelers care about most.
TSA says passengers control whether they use digital identity technology at checkpoints. On its digital identification guidance, the agency says it receives digital ID information with the passenger’s consent and does not build a national database from that information. TSA also says passengers can choose a traditional identity-verification process instead.
At Newark, TSA officials told NBC New York that the photo taken by the e-gate is used for facial matching and then immediately deleted.
So if you would rather show an ID to an officer, you can still use the traditional process. The automated option is not mandatory.
Will this actually make Newark security faster?
For one traveler, saving a few seconds at the identity check may not sound dramatic. Across a busy airport checkpoint, though, small time savings can add up.
The Points Guy reports that TSA has said automated gates can save about three seconds per passenger on average. NBC New York reported that Newark officials were seeing identity verification in under three seconds during the rollout.
The bigger convenience may be what you don’t have to do: stop, pull out an ID, find a boarding pass and hand documents back and forth before moving forward.
Still, travelers should not assume the e-gates eliminate security lines. You can move through identity verification faster and then encounter a wait at the screening portion of the checkpoint, especially during busy travel periods.
Could TSA e-gates show up at more airports?
Probably. Newark is part of a broader push toward digital identity and automated airport processing rather than a one-off experiment.
TSA has tested e-gate technology at other U.S. airports, including Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, while Touchless ID itself has expanded to additional airports and airline partners.
United has been particularly active in expanding Touchless ID. The airline previously said it planned to bring the technology to Newark, Denver, Seattle and Portland after expanding it in San Francisco.
That means travelers who rarely use Newark may still want to understand how the system works. The same type of hands-free identity check could become more familiar at major U.S. airports as TSA and airlines expand digital ID programs.
What Newark travelers should do before their flight
If you are flying United from Newark Terminal C and already have TSA PreCheck, check your United profile before heading to the airport. Make sure your Known Traveler Number and required identity information are saved correctly, and look for the option to enroll in Touchless ID.
If you qualify and want to use the e-gate, follow the Touchless ID signs at the checkpoint. If you do not qualify—or simply do not want to use facial matching—the normal TSA identity-check process remains available.
Most importantly, don’t confuse “touchless” with “no security.” The new gate replaces part of the identity-check interaction, not the screening that follows it.
For eligible United travelers, though, it is one less airport ritual: no digging through a bag for your license while holding your phone, suitcase and coffee at the same time.
