Thanksgiving Flyers Without REAL ID Face a $45 Surprise at the Checkpoint

With Thanksgiving travel about two weeks away, one rule is worth double-checking before you pack: your ID. Full REAL ID enforcement at airport security began on May 7, 2025, so state licenses that are not REAL ID compliant are no longer accepted as a standard form of identification at checkpoints.

Travelers who show up without a REAL ID or a passport are not necessarily turned away. They can use TSA ConfirmID, a verification option that costs $45. One travel outlet estimates it adds about 15 to 30 minutes to the process, which matters in a holiday crowd.

Crowds are expected to be heavy. Sunday, November 29 is projected to be the busiest day, following a record last year when TSA screened 3,134,613 people on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The same report notes that a ConfirmID receipt is said to be valid for 10 days, so a return trip within that window might not need a second fee, though that detail is attributed to a third party and should be confirmed.

The simple fix is to check your license for the star marking and, if it lacks one, bring a passport or another acceptable ID. TSA also advises passengers to wear only one removable outer layer and to place powder-like substances over 350 milliliters in a separate bin.

Sources: TheTravel, TSA