December 4, 2025
Insiders warn the new $45 penalty for flying without a REAL ID could hit families the hardest.
The fee for American travelers who go through TSA airport security without a REAL ID or passport will increase from $18 to $45 next year.
On Dec. 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that the new fee will take effect Feb. 1, 2026, The Travel reports. Critics say the increase will disproportionately impact families, especially those who travel infrequently.
The TSA’s Confirm.ID option only covers a 10-day travel window, meaning families may need to pay $45 per adult more than once on longer trips—while frequent flyers are more likely to get their money’s worth within that period.
For instance, a family of four without REAL IDs or passports taking a two-week U.S. vacation would pay $45 per adult to clear security—$180 each way. Because their return falls outside the 10-day window, the total jumps to $360, and even more for larger families.
Families with younger children may feel less of the strain, since travelers under 18 don’t need to present ID for domestic flights when accompanied by an adult with valid identification. However, international trips still require passports for minors, and households with multiple adults over 18 will face the steepest added costs.
“I think the fines are too high, and rules around the fines are too strict,” a former TSA agent said.
However, the ex-employee said similar fees were proposed several times in the past, but this is the first time the agency is actually imposing penalties for non-compliance, a step many travelers never expected TSA to fully enforce.
“Passengers don’t listen; a lot of them think the TSA is a joke. The fines are a way to enforce the rules for the REAL ID,” the former TSA officer said.
RELATED CONTENT: City Leaders Offer Relief To Unpaid TSA Workers Amid Government Shutdown In Atlanta
