Gates separate the passengers with upcoming flights from the other passengers and it is also the waiting area for these passengers. For domestic terminals, gate rules are generally not as strict as in international terminals.

The airport gate is the final "staging area" where the boarding and turnaround process occurs. For the ground crew, this is a high-speed operation where they refuel the plane, load luggage, and perform safety checks. For passengers, it is where the gate agents verify boarding passes and IDs to ensure everyone on the manifest is present. Once boarding begins, passengers pass through the gate into the jet bridge (or a shuttle bus) to enter the aircraft. Gate agents are also responsible for managing "standby" lists, handling seat upgrades, and checking larger carry-on bags that won't fit in the overhead bins. Once all passengers are seated, the gate agent closes the aircraft door and "pulls" the jet bridge away, signaling to the pilots and the pushback tug that the aircraft is ready to depart for the runway.