How to Get Through Airport Security Without an ID
My colleague Peter Greenberg recently wrote an interesting article on how to get through airport security in the US without a government-issued ID. If for some reason you forget your driver’s license or passport, or—worse—lose them or have them stolen, don’t panic: You still should be able to get through security. Always be polite to the officer and tell them what happened. It won’t work every time, but they’ll most likely pull you to the side and ask for another kind of ID, like an insurance card. I’ve heard of people getting through by showing a scanned copy of an ID and even a Facebook page (the latter is crazy). And if the first agent says you’re out of luck, be sure to (politely) ask for a supervisor.
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This worked for my wife – they let her on the plane with a Sam’s Club membership card! It may have helped that I was traveling with her and our addresses matched. We had a friend Express Mail her driver’s license to our destination for the return trip.
I now make sure to take our passports on domestic flights = just in case ☺.
I forgot my drivers license one time when I was going through a airport security line and what Johnny says is correct. I was at the Hobby, Texas airport and , of course, I was very nice to security, told them exactly what happened. In return, they were very nice to me, pulled me aside just for a few minutes as I showed them my SS card, insurance card, and ,y private school Teacher ID from SC. I think I was inthe process of getting my husband to take a pic of my drivers license at home, where I left it, and send it to me through text, when they said just go ahead.
I was able to get from Portland to Chicago and back without a valid ID. Initially I panicked when I found out I had left my ID at home; however, the ticket agent said that they would probably let me fly with additional “level one” screening (aka the free public massage). I did happen to have my expired DL, with the hole punched it, but it was over two years old. (I actually like the picture, so I kept it for a keepsake.) It wasn’t valid, but I do think it helped since I had nothing else. Above all, I think it was being extra polite, thankful, and upbeat that actually got me through and on my way.
You can still fly, it may require additional screening. Just be truthful and ask for a supervisor. Photo copies or pictures of your license should not be accepted by TSA. An expired license is acceptable as long as it has not passed the one year over the expiration.
I got through with an expired passport once. I had forgotten I had it on me and they were making phone calls to verify my identity when I found it in my backpack.
The passport was over 10 years expired at that time.
Wow! Good to know