ONT+ Visitor Pass at Ontario Airport Nears 100K

Published on Dec 31, 2025, 11:11 am CST

5 min read

Key points

Ontario International Airport says its ONT+ Visitor Pass Program is on track to surpass 100,000 registered users
Non ticketed visitors can request post security access in Terminal 2 or Terminal 4 after Transportation Security Administration approval
Applications are available same day or up to seven days ahead, with approvals arriving after midnight for advance requests or within about 15 minutes for same day
ONT+ visitors must use general screening lanes, and TSA PreCheck and CLEAR cannot be used with the pass
Entry is valid from the approved start time through 9:00 p.m., and visitors are limited to one personal item with no hand carried luggage

Impact

Who This Helps Most: Families seeing off or meeting travelers, plus locals who want gateside dining and shopping, benefit most from post security access at Ontario International
Where Impacts Are Most Likely: Checkpoint lines and gate area crowding can feel tighter during holiday peaks and morning departure banks when visitor demand overlaps with departing passengers
Timing And Capacity: Because slots are capped by terminal and start time, visitors should expect sold out windows on busy days and plan an earlier or alternate date
Security And ID Rules: Visitors must pass standard screening with a TSA accepted photo ID, and Real ID compliant state IDs are required for most travelers using licenses
Family And Group Planning: Minors can participate but each person needs an approved pass, and adult escorts should plan for devices, IDs, and re entry screening if leaving the sterile area

Ontario International Airport (ONT) says its ONT+ Visitor Pass Program is nearing 100,000 registered users, a milestone that highlights sustained demand for gateside access by non ticketed visitors. The change matters most for travelers who want a longer goodbye at the gate, families coordinating pickups, and locals who plan to dine or shop past security in Terminal 2 or Terminal 4. The practical next step is to treat ONT+ like a capacity controlled reservation, apply early, arrive with extra screening buffer, and build a backup plan for meeting pre security if your time window sells out.

The ONT+ visitor pass Ontario Airport update is simple, the airport is expanding and normalizing limited post security access for approved visitors, with rules that mirror standard TSA screening and time windows that run only until 9:00 p.m.

Who Is Affected

ONT+ is designed for people who are not flying that day but want to accompany someone to the gate, meet an arriving traveler after they exit the aircraft area, or use post security concessions in Terminal 2 or Terminal 4. Each visitor must apply with identity details that match a Transportation Security Administration accepted photo ID, and approvals are tied to a specific date, start time, and terminal. Ticketed passengers are not allowed to use ONT+ as a substitute for a boarding pass, so this is not a workaround for lost documents or last minute airline issues.

Departing passengers can also feel indirect effects, especially during holiday surges or morning banks. When a visitor program is popular, it adds incremental demand to the same screening lanes used by ticketed travelers, which can lengthen queues and tighten gate seating at peak periods. Those first order pressures can ripple into missed connections on tight itineraries, later rebooking decisions, and unexpected hotel costs when a delayed departure causes a misconnect on a separate ticket.

The second order effects can move the other direction, too. More post security foot traffic supports airport dining and retail revenue, which helps airports justify amenities and, over time, can support route development and terminal investment. In a region where travelers often choose between multiple Southern California airports, smoother curb, screening, and concession experiences can influence where travelers book, and how early they arrive.

What Travelers Should Do

Apply as early as you reasonably can, because ONT+ availability is limited by terminal and start time. For advance requests, approvals arrive after midnight on the day of the visit, so do not drive to the airport assuming it will clear. For same day requests, watch for the approval email before leaving, then arrive with extra time for general screening lines.

If your plan depends on a gateside goodbye or a specific restaurant reservation timing, set a decision threshold before you go. If you cannot secure an ONT+ slot that matches your window, switch to a pre security meetup, or move the visit to a lower demand day rather than gambling on a sold out start time. If you are dropping someone for a flight with a tight connection chain, prioritize getting the traveler through screening first, and keep the visitor plan secondary.

Over the next 24 to 72 hours, monitor three things, ONT+ availability for your preferred terminal, checkpoint wait time patterns for your arrival window, and any terminal specific operating hour changes that affect concessions. If you plan to exit and re enter the sterile area, remember you will be screened again, and re entry can be slower because ticketed passengers are screened first.

How It Works

ONT+ is a free digital visitor pass that lets approved non ticketed visitors enter the post security side of Ontario International, but only through the general TSA screening lanes in the terminal they selected. Visitors can apply the same day or up to seven days in advance, and if a date or start time is not selectable, that window has reached capacity. For advance applications, the approval email arrives after midnight on the day of the visit, and for same day applications, the approval typically arrives within about 15 minutes.

If approved, the ONT+ pass is delivered digitally by email, and visitors must present the approval email and pass attachment at the checkpoint along with their TSA accepted photo ID. Entry is limited from the approved start time through 9:00 p.m., and expedited screening and trusted traveler lanes like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR cannot be used with ONT+. ONT also limits visitors to one personal item and does not allow hand carried luggage, which is a meaningful difference from a standard passenger trip.

Ontario International describes ONT+ as a permanent program, but it can be modified or suspended for operational needs. The milestone announcement also ties the program to ONT's broader Decade of Local Control campaign, which runs through November 1, 2026, and includes community events and airport activations. Similar visitor pass concepts have expanded across the country, including programs at Seattle Tacoma International and Palm Springs International, and, closer to ONT's home market, California's newer efforts like San Diego Airport SAN Pass Opens Gates To Non Flyers. Travelers comparing visitor access versus faster passenger screening should keep the distinction clear, ONT+ is for non flyers under standard screening rules, while trusted traveler programs like Global Entry are designed for expedited passenger processing and do not apply to visitor passes.