Gate Access is a weekly travel newsletter sourced by active & former aviation workers.

I started Gate Access after quitting my nearly 8 year career as a TSA officer. The decision to leave wasn’t ideal. After going viral on TikTok for sharing educational videos, senior leaders at TSA weren’t as thrilled as I was, ultimately giving me an ultimatum. Stop producing content on social media or quit working at TSA.

I believe the best information comes from the folks who are actually doing the work, not from press releases. That’s why I made the difficult decision to leave TSA and build what would become Gate Access.

Gate Access has since been mentioned by dozens of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Travel & Leisure, and People Magazine. I've also provided travel commentary on major television networks such as CNN, CBS, NBC, and NewsNation.

In 2025, Gate Access broke the news that TSA was ending the rule that required all standard travelers to remove their shoes at U.S. security checkpoints. That scoop shot the publication to number 1 on the Substack rising in travel chart.

If you’d like to connect or work with me: caleb@withtheharmony.com.