TSA's New $45 Fee at U.S. Airports Unfairly Punishes Families in the Fine Print

After reading the article, this is actually a great thing for Americans?

Previously, if you didn't have your "Real ID" (which, is a terrible name IMO) or passport, you were just... denied. And presumably that would cost far more than $45.

This seems like an extra step to help you get through airports and prevent delays.

Also, $45 for 30 minutes of a TSA agent's time + their software seems very reasonable? That could even be operating at a loss.

I get it, the median person flies 0 times a year, the average person flies 1.5-2 times a year, there's a huge number of people who fly 0-2 times a year. Mistakes happen and they should result in seizing the whole system.

...but it's just insane to me that someone could go to an airport and not have an ID, let alone a passport. Come on.

Edit (didn't realize the article continued):

> American travelers were still permitted to fly without this updated form of ID with no penalties; they simply had to undergo additional screening, including handing over current addresses, per the TSA's website.

I'm speechless.

You make a great point, but (as noted in the article) some of us feel that the TSA is a joke for various reasons; one of which may be that the TSA did not actually accept forms of ID which their website states are acceptable :)

> Previously, if you didn't have your "Real ID" (which, is a terrible name IMO) or passport, you were just... denied.

That is incorrect. You could still fly. You could just use any valid government ID, of which every state license was one.

You have always been able to fly without ID by submitting to enhanced physical screening. John Gilmore sued the TSA over the ID requirement but lost, *edited I reread the opinion and the court found there was no 4th amendment violations, but enhanced screening was an option available to him even back in 2004 that he declined.

TSA is not required to allow people without ID to fly but they do and because suddenly a lot of people do not have acceptable ID, and not because of circumstances beyond their control, TSA is instituting the fees.

They don't mean prior to REAL ID, they mean prior to this service but while REAL ID requirements were in effect.

That time never existed.

That time period existed from May 7th 2025 to February 1st 2026.