> I remember pre 9/11 walking right up to the gate my mom was departing out of because she was nervous to go through it. I don't even remember going through security because we didn't have a ticket, they just let us through?

Pre 9/11, IIRC security checkpoints was a metal detector and an x-ray for bags, but they didn't check IDs or tickets. Boarding passes were checked at the gate, maybe sometimes IDs were checked, depending on airline policy; but you often did need to stop at the check in counter to get a boarding pass and drop bags and ID might be checked there... you could also check in at the gate if you didn't have any bags to check.

But you could absolutely walk your friends/family to the gate for departures or meet them at the gate for arrivals. My local large airport now has a visitor pass program for 300 people a day [1], which is maybe a start of a return to the old ways? You can also get passes to accompany minors in the airport that will be flying unaccompanied.

[1] https://www.portseattle.org/page/sea-visitor-pass-program