Originally Posted by
Punki
We have done both:
A. Buy a refundable ticket, print a boarding pass, and then cancel the flight; and
B. Simply ask for a gate pass.
IMHO, asking for the gate pass is easier and less trouble, but it probably only works if you have status and are well known at the airport.
It depends on the airport. Here at Omaha I know I have will have no problems with getting a gate pass from the ticket counter, but I have had trouble at EWR before where I'm guessing the OP is discussing. The foolproof way of doing it is to buy the refundable ticket, print the BP, and cancel the flight.