The Transportation Security Administration is rolling out a new fee that’s frustrating travelers nationwide. Passengers who show up to security checkpoints without a passport or REAL ID will now be charged $18 just to verify their identity. Instead of fixing the chaos at airports, TSA is adding another cost to an already expensive holiday travel season.
The agency says the charge is part of a “modernized alternative identity verification program.” According to TSA’s notice, the fee covers “government-incurred costs” and will be valid for 10 days. In other words, Americans will now pay nearly twenty bucks for TSA to confirm who they are — something TSA already does every day.
"This modernized program provides an alternative that may allow these individuals to gain access to the sterile area of an airport if TSA is able to establish their identity," the notice states. But even with the fee, TSA openly admits passengers may still be denied boarding. You pay the money… and they can still say no.
The agency also made clear the program “does not guarantee that an individual’s identity will be verified or that the individual will be provided access to the sterile area of the airport.” So travelers could be out the cash and the flight.
A TSA spokesperson tried to reassure the public, saying more information is coming soon. "This notice serves as a next step in the process [of] 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 spokesperson said. But it’s cold comfort to Americans now stuck paying new fees just to get through a checkpoint.
"TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints," the spokesperson added. Travelers aren’t convinced, especially with airport lines already ballooning as holiday traffic ramps up.
AAA predicts nearly 82 million Americans will travel between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1. Six million of them are expected to fly — up 2% from last year — meaning millions of chances for TSA to tack on yet another fee. And with domestic flights averaging around $700, families are already stretched thin.
AAA says Thanksgiving Day is the cheapest day to fly, while the Sunday and Monday after will be the busiest. Now travelers have one more thing to juggle: remembering their ID… or paying TSA for the privilege of forgetting.