Air Travel ID Changes Coming this Sunday, February 1
Image courtesy AAA
Are you planning domestic air travel this year? Changes are coming – beginning this Sunday, February 1st! If you fly without a state-issued REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card – it has a star in the corner, a valid US Passport or another acceptable form of identification to provide at a TSA checkpoint – you will have the option to use TSA Confirm-ID. This will cost you $45 to establish identity at TSA checkpoints, but it’s only good for a 10-day travel period. The TSA Confirm-ID is a last resort fee-based option for passengers fly domestically, who arrive without an acceptable identification.
Additional information from AAA:
TSA ConfirmID is an optional, fee-based ($45) program used to establish identity at TSA checkpoints for those without an acceptable form of identification. TSA will then try to verify your identity so you can go through security; however there is no guarantee TSA can do so. TSA ConfirmID is good for a 10-day travel period.
This process will differ airport to airport. TSA is encouraging air travelers who might need TSA ConfirmID to process online payment prior to arrival at the airport, and bring a printed or electronic copy of the TSA ConfirmID receipt to the TSA checkpoint to begin the identity verification process. Travelers who use TSA ConfirmID processing at an airport should expect delays.
“Proper identification verification is essential to air travel safety,” said Jana Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Club Alliance. “While TSA reports the vast majority of air travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, those who do not have these forms of identification are encouraged to schedule an appointment at their state DMV to update their ID as soon as possible to avoid long lines and potential travel delays upon arriving at the airport.”
Before heading to the airport, travelers should know a REAL ID/Passport verifies who you are. If you do not have an acceptable ID to fly domestically, beginning February 1, 2026 TSA ConfirmID is a last-resort, optional, fee-based program to prove identity.
TSA PreCheck has nothing to do with who you are, but rather which TSA checkpoint line you can go through and how fast you can get through the line.
- What it is: A state-issued driver’s license or ID card that meets stricter federal security standards.
- Purpose: To prove your identity for federal purposes, including flying domestically.
- What to look for: Look for a star (gold or black) in the corner.
- Requirement: Required for air travel since May 7, 2025, if you don’t have another acceptable ID like a passport.
- What it is: A new, optional service for travelers without acceptable ID.
- Purpose: To verify identity at the airport when you don’t have a REAL ID or passport.
- How it works: Pay a $45 fee (for a 10-day travel period) at the airport for an identity check (answering questions).
- When it starts: Full enforcement begins February 1, 2026.
- No guarantees: No guarantee you’ll pass; you could still miss your flight.
- What it is: A program for vetted, low-risk travelers, to expedite wait times at TSA checkpoints.
- Purpose: Expedited security screening (shorter lines, keep shoes/belts on, laptops in bags).
- How it works: You apply, pay a fee, get a Known Traveler Number (KTN), valid for 5 years.
- Requirement: You still need a REAL ID or passport to fly, even with TSA PreCheck, for basic ID verification.