New airport fees: what are the prices and who has to pay them?
The TSA announced Confirm.ID, a new alternative for travelers who do not have a REAL ID. It will cost more than $40.
Since May, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has required travelers to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another approved form of identification to pass through airport security. Without it, passengers are denied entry at the checkpoint. But beginning next year, there will be a new alternative.
The TSA announced it will roll out Confirm.ID, a system designed for travelers who don’t have a REAL ID or another accepted document. Starting February 1, 2026 (ET), domestic flyers age 18 and older who cannot present an approved ID will be able to use Confirm.ID—though it comes with a non-refundable $45 fee.
Traveling and don’t have a REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID? You’ll want to get yours soon. Starting on Feb. 1, 2026, travelers may pay a $45 fee to verify their identity through TSA Confirm. ID.
— TSA (@TSA) December 1, 2025
Learn more: https://t.co/8RMsLuqyB7 pic.twitter.com/9ExDjh5GFS
What about kids?
Children under 18 are not required to show identification when traveling with an adult inside the United States. However, the accompanying adult must present a valid ID.
Approved IDs for air travel
REAL ID-compliant licenses are marked with a star symbol. In addition, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs)—issued in Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont—feature a U.S. flag emblem and are also accepted.
The TSA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognize several other documents, including:
- U.S. passport or passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID
- Permanent resident card (Green Card)
- Border crossing card
- PIV HSPD-12 card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license
- Canadian Indigenous and Northern Affairs card
- Transportation worker identification credential
- Employment authorization card (Form I-766, USCIS)
- U.S. merchant mariner credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
How to get a REAL ID
Each state sets its own requirements for issuing REAL ID cards. Common documents include:
- Proof of full legal name (such as a birth certificate or passport)
- Date of birth verification
- Social Security number
- Proof of primary residence
- Proof of lawful status
Travelers going through airport security checkpoints without a REAL ID or passport will face a $45 fee starting Feb. 1, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.
— ABC News (@ABC) December 2, 2025
The fee is part of the agency’s next phase of the REAL ID implementation process and will require… pic.twitter.com/BpvWhhMsln
For exact requirements, travelers should check their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website.
Starting February 2026, travelers without a REAL ID or other approved ID will need to pay $45 for Confirm.ID to board domestic flights. The easiest way to avoid the fee—and the hassle—is to secure a REAL ID well before your next trip.
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