so it's a $45 fee to fly.
this post was submitted on 31 Jan 2026
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My country makes me want to self-delete.
Nah, don't.
Fuck tyrants, please live on to resist.
Who goes to an airport without a passport?
people who don't need a passport to go to an airport?
this is all new. none of this was required until VERY recently.
Nearly 100% of people traveling domestically...?
Previously you could just use a driver's license for domestic flights without the fine.
Not previously, currently. You still can, it just has to be "real id".
Who goes to the USA?
People already in the USA
they fly a lot internally, also. sadly, they're not exactly known for good railway.
it's also somewhat easier and faster to fly 3,000 miles than to take a train
People old enough to remember when you didn't need any ID at all for domestic flights?
Ah yes the good old days of seeing how close you could get to the airport before boarding time and watching everyone rippin’ butts in the terminal’s smoking area on their layover
I'm not going to lie, having a crowd of people waiting at the end of the deboarding tunnel for you was freaking awesome.
I’d say a majority of Americans in any US airport. I have a passport and never take mine, and I fly at least monthly.
Lots of Americans traveling domestically. I was also in awe of that.
I don’t like flying so I’m apt to drive even longer distances. Driving just a few states over (less than half the country) is often a 12-14 hour drive without stopping.
After a couple of those drives you’ll be in less awe of all the flying lol
People in the EU/EEA can fly within the EU using an European ID, rather than passport.
Are you from the future? ;-)
The European ID is still stuck in some suggestion phase, so you have to keep using the national IDs or passports for now.
That's what I mean, yes. So what @VibeSurgeon@piefed.social said is right.
Guessed as much but wanted to make it clear (especially to the non-Europeans present here) that there is no such thing as a European ID (yet).
I'm guessing they meant an ID card issued in an EU country
Guessed so before, but the fact might not be so clear especially to non-Europeans.
And as it is a somewhat important distinction, the correcting comment was needed here.
We're going to scan your face and hope you're dumb enough to pull a fast one on us. We hope this process identifies you but if it doesn't, we're going to let you through anyway, but only for ten days. You know, in case you get radicalized or, gain a few pounds or something. The time it took to align your greasy mug and snap a photo cost us $298, we can only assume, but we're charging YOU $45 so we can appease the right wing dummies who hate gubmint & taxes. Security through obscurity, not even the right reasons
For anyone as confused as me (OP's link let to a blank page for me, so no help there), I generated a brief summary of the Real ID Wikipedia article.
Regulations now in place still are less stringent as I know them to be for domestic flights, and ID regulations in general, in European countries, but I now know that in the US there has always been a broad resistance against mandatory ID's, mainly because of the implications on personal freedom and privacy.
This probably also explains the somewhat heated comments in this thread.
Here is the summary:
The Real ID Act of 2005 is a federal law that establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in the United States. Passed in response to the 9/11 attacks, its primary purpose is to enhance national security by ensuring that identity documents used to access federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and board commercial airline flights are more secure and standardized.
The law:
- Requires states to verify applicants' identity, Social Security number, legal status, and address using official documentation.
- Mandates enhanced security features on IDs and digital storage of application documents.
- Establishes electronic sharing of ID and driver history databases between states.
- Requires IDs to display a standardized format, including a photograph, full name, date of birth, signature, and (as of recent updates) gender marker.
States must issue two versions of IDs:
1.) A Real ID-compliant version (marked with a star), valid for federal purposes.
2.) A non-compliant version (with a disclaimer like "Not for Federal Use") — still usable for driving or local identification.
Enforcement was repeatedly delayed. The final phase began on May 7, 2025, with full enforcement slated for May 5, 2027.
All 50 states and U.S. territories are now certified as compliant. Starting in 2025, TSA began enforcing Real ID requirements at airport checkpoints.
This whole thing is fucking stupid. Stop issuing non-real IDs and be done with it
I don't think it is that simple. The people opposing the federal IDs do have a point.
Why would you need a centralized ID and collection of your data if you never take a flight or enter a nuclear power plant?
Distrusting the central government is part of US culture I guess, and seeing the current administration over there, this distrust might well be justified.
So I understand the discussions it apparently kindled, despite coming from a country were centralized federal IDs are mandatory (and me being ok with that).
At this point it's a bit ridiculous if you don't have one. 20 years is at least three cycles of ID renewals, so people have had plenty of chances to make the switch.
Sounds like letting it be the decision of the people is a decent compromise.
Either you have a Real ID, or you pay the 45$ additional identification fee if you happen to be going on a domestic flight once in a while. (That's how I understand it?)
As long as having a Real ID doesn't become expected in other, everyday dealings...
When it says "arriving" it means "landing"?
So does that mean you can enter a plane without identifying yourself?
Found out myself.
It is about boarding, not arriving.
So the headline of the post is misleading in that regard.
AFAIK multiple ppl died stowing away in the wheel compartment. So yeah, that's not impossible.
Also, chartering or piloting your own small plane should bypass that, often.
Really surprised this hasn't been the case since 2011 already...?
No. Some states like mine held out on forcing REAL ID so these rules weren't implemented until last year.