Instead of having to go through security screening like everyone else, the VIP terminal employs its own TSA screening team as well as a team of people to ensure every need is catered for.

In 2026, the short answer is yes, nearly all "VIPs"—including celebrities, corporate executives, and high-ranking officials—must undergo security screening, but their experience of it is vastly different from the average traveler. Most major airports now offer private VIP terminals (such as "The Private Suite" at LAX or "Windsor Suite" at Heathrow) where security is handled in a secluded, luxury environment. Instead of standing in a public queue, VIPs have their luggage and persons screened by dedicated TSA or security officers in a private lounge before being driven directly to the aircraft in a luxury vehicle. However, certain "Heads of State" and high-level government dignitaries traveling on official business may be exempt from standard civil aviation screening under international protocol and national security exemptions. For the "regular" rich and famous, the goal isn't to skip security—which is a federal requirement for flight safety—but to bypass the "friction" and public exposure of the main terminal's security lanes.