Press Room

Posted on: Mon, 10/17/2022 - 05:00

(Ontario, California – October 17, 2022) – Ontario International Airport (ONT) is borrowing from the past with a new program that allows the non-traveling public to greet families and friends at the gate – or spend more time with them as they prepare to depart – all while enjoying ONT’s enhanced amenities.

ONT+ is a free service that enables non-traveling guests to secure an online visitor pass, which they can use – much like an airline ticket – to enter TSA checkpoints and access the post-security side of the passenger terminal. The program, among the first of its kind in the United States, provides the community access to the terminal and airport services that have largely been unavailable to non-travelers since before 9/11.

“We all remember the excitement of being able to meet arriving family and friends as they get off the plane. ONT+ is a way to bring back some of that experience from decades ago, in a safe and secure manner,” said Dean Brown, ONT Public Safety Administrator, who worked closely with TSA in establishing the program.

ONT+ also opens up the many dining and retail establishments located in the terminal’s upper levels to the non-traveling public. Since the airport’s return to local control in 2016, the airport has invested heavily in enhanced amenities to improve the experience for outgoing and incoming passengers, including restaurants, shops and high-end lounges.

To receive an ONT+ visitor pass, non-travelers can visit www.flyontario.com/ontplus and fill out an online application within seven days of their visit. If approved, visitors will receive an ONT+ Visitor Pass via e-mail, which they can use – along with a TSA-approved photo ID – to enter the security checkpoint. Printed ONT+ visitor passes are not accepted.

ONT+ visitors are subject to the same security regulations as passengers boarding an aircraft and are not allowed to bring items prohibited by TSA.

The launch of ONT+ comes as Ontario International prepares to celebrate six years of local ownership with its State of the Airport event on November 1 at the Ontario Convention Center. The airport will finish 2022 with its highest passenger totals since 2008, and has exceeded pre-pandemic passenger levels for each of the past six months. It also ranks among the Top 10 cargo airports in North America.

“ONT+ is another example of how Ontario International is always at the forefront of amenities and services that can enhance the customer experience,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board of Commissioners and Mayor pro Tem of the City of Ontario.

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About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to more than two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario Mayor Pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).