Airline travelers who attempt to pass through security checkpoints without a Real ID will be subject to the Transportation Security Administration’s new security screening program and pay a new fee of $45.
On Monday, the TSA announced that passengers without a Real ID or other TSA-approved form of identification have the option to verify their identity through the modernized alternative identity-verification program, officially called TSA Confirm.ID, beginning Feb. 1, 2026.
Those who choose to use TSA Confirm.ID will be charged a $45 fee — an increase from a previously announced $18 fee.
“Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail,” said Adam Stahl, acting deputy administrator for the TSA. “The vast majority of travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, but we must ensure everyone who flies is who they say they are.”
What is Confirm.ID?
Starting Feb. 1, passengers arriving at U.S. airports will be presented with the TSA Confirm.ID option upon reaching a TSA check-in and before entering the security lines, according to TSA.
“This process will differ airport to airport, and TSA is working with private industry to proactively offer online payment options prior to arrival at the airport,” according to a press release.
According to a TSA announcement in the Federal Register last month, the proposed program will use a new biometric kiosk system to verify identification before each traveler without a Real ID or other acceptable form of identification is permitted to pass through the TSA checkpoint.
It’s unclear whether the kiosks have been implemented at airports yet.
“Travelers will process with a kiosk system that captures their biometric data and compares it to TSA’s Secure Flight watchlists,” said Tom Spagnola, senior vice president of Partner Relations at CheapOair.
The approval is valid for 10 days, allowing passengers to travel as much as they want within the 10-day period, Spagnola said.
The fee for the alternative identity-verification program was originally set for $18. TSA did not respond to The Times request for comment about the change in price.
Biometrics uses physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition software and retinal scans to verify an identity. The TSA already uses such methods for verifying digital IDs using facial recognition software.
How Confirm.ID could affect travel
More than 94% of passengers currently use their Real ID or other acceptable forms of identification, according to TSA.
The agency expects increased wait times for passengers who do not provide an acceptable form of ID.
“There will be some potential delays for travelers who are unaware of the fee,” Spagnola said. “There could be potentially long lines of travelers waiting to pay their fee.”
Ultimately, it will be a much more effective, streamlined experience and faster process to complete the TSA journey because the new biometric systems enable touchless, paperless identify verification, he said.
Why is Confirm.ID being implemented?
Confirm.ID is, “a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance, which was signed into law more than 20 years ago and finally implemented by Secretary [Kristi] Noem as of May 2025,” the TSA said in a statement. “TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints.”
The newest program comes seven months after the TSA finally began enforcing its Real ID deadline, with mixed results. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005, establishing specific requirements for states issuing IDs to make them more difficult to counterfeit. The law stems from a 9/11 Commission recommendation that the federal government establish a nationwide standard for identification. Since May 7, travelers who plan to board a domestic flight are required to show the federally compliant Real ID or another approved form of identification such as a passport.
A complete list of acceptable forms of identification can be found on the TSA website.
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