US air travelers without REAL IDs will be charged a $45 fee
9 days ago
- #air travel
- #REAL ID
- #TSA
- US air travelers without REAL IDs will face a $45 fee starting February.
- REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or ID with enhanced security requirements post-9/11.
- 94% of passengers already comply; the fee aims to encourage others to obtain the ID.
- Travelers without REAL ID or another accepted ID (e.g., passport) must pay the non-refundable fee for identity verification via TSA's 'Confirm.ID' system.
- Paying the fee doesn’t guarantee verification; unverified travelers may be denied boarding.
- Approved verification covers a 10-day travel period.
- Fee can be paid online before or at the airport (may take up to 30 minutes).
- TSA increased the fee from $18 due to higher-than-expected program costs.
- Other accepted IDs include military IDs, permanent resident cards, tribal nation photo IDs, and digital IDs via Apple/Google/Samsung Wallet at 250+ US airports.