Can I use a passport instead of REAL ID for domestic flights after 2025?
Executive summary
Yes: since May 7, 2025, you can use a U.S. passport (book) or passport card instead of a REAL ID to board domestic commercial flights — TSA lists passports and passport cards as acceptable alternatives and DHS/TSA enforcement requires either a REAL ID‑compliant credential or another accepted form of ID at checkpoints [1] [2]. Starting Feb. 1, 2026, travelers who lack any acceptable ID may pay $45 for TSA Confirm.ID verification as a last‑resort option [3].
1. The rule in plain language: passports remain an accepted alternative
Federal enforcement of REAL ID at airport security checkpoints began May 7, 2025; but the requirement is that travelers present a REAL ID‑compliant state credential OR another TSA‑approved form of identification — and the U.S. passport (book) and passport card are explicitly listed among those acceptable alternatives [4] [2] [5].
2. Why people thought REAL ID would replace passports — and why it didn’t
The REAL ID Act set minimum standards for state driver’s licenses and ID cards; enforcement means non‑compliant state IDs are no longer accepted at airports. That led some to conclude you must get a REAL ID. In practice DHS/TSA never made REAL ID the only lawful document — they enumerated other federally recognized IDs that remain valid, including passports, passport cards, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses, military IDs and DHS trusted‑traveler cards [6] [2] [7].
3. Practical tradeoffs: convenience vs. redundancy
Using a passport book for domestic trips is fully acceptable (and works for international flights too), but many travelers prefer REAL ID for day‑to‑day convenience — it avoids carrying a passport on every domestic trip and reduces risk if the passport is lost or stolen. State sites and travel outlets advised people who normally use a driver’s license to obtain REAL ID before the May 7 deadline or else rely on a passport or passport card instead [8] [9] [10].
4. The passport card: a wallet‑friendly middle ground
The passport card is a smaller, cheaper federal document that the State Department and TSA acknowledge as valid for domestic air travel and for land/sea travel to certain neighboring countries — and it’s listed as an acceptable alternative to REAL ID at airports [5] [11]. It cannot be used for international air travel, but it meets the federal ID standard for domestic security checkpoints [11] [5].
5. What happens if you show up without any acceptable ID
Before February 2026, passengers who lacked REAL ID compliance or an alternate listed document could be subject to extra screening or denial of access to the security line; TSA warned travelers they might be diverted to separate areas and receive additional screening [6] [2]. Beginning Feb. 1, 2026, TSA will offer TSA Confirm.ID — a paid ($45) identity‑verification process valid for a 10‑day travel window — as an optional remedial path for those without acceptable ID [3] [7].
6. How common and politically charged this change was
The switch to strict enforcement in May 2025 followed nearly two decades after the 2005 law. Reporting and official communications emphasized that the change affected millions and produced long DMV lines and debate about privacy, cost and convenience; some outlets and officials stressed the security rationale while consumer‑facing coverage focused on how many already had passports or would choose cheaper passport cards [12] [13] [14] [10].
7. Limitations and open questions in available reporting
Available sources confirm passports and passport cards are acceptable alternatives and that TSA Confirm.ID will be a paid backup beginning Feb. 1, 2026, but they do not detail every airport’s on‑the‑ground implementation, nor do they provide granular data on how often passengers are diverted or how often TSA Confirm.ID will be used [4] [3]. Local practices, airline check‑in policies and temporary operational variations at checkpoints are not fully described in the provided material.
8. What travelers should do now
If you have a valid passport book or passport card, you can use it for domestic flights [4] [5]. If you prefer to avoid carrying a passport, apply for a REAL ID at your DMV; if you lack both and must fly after Feb. 1, 2026, be prepared to either face extra screening or pay for TSA Confirm.ID [15] [3]. Check TSA’s current “acceptable IDs” list before travel; the agency cautions the list can change and urges travelers to verify requirements in advance [6] [2].