Quick answer: No. A government-issued photo ID, such as a state-issued ID card, is sufficient for domestic air travel. In other words, using your passport as a government-issued photo ID is possible but not mandatory. Your state-issued driver's license, for instance, is sufficient to board your domestic flight.

For U.S. domestic flights in 2026, a passport is not strictly required, provided you have another form of government-issued photo identification that is REAL ID-compliant. As of the 2026 travel regulations, every traveler 18 years of age or older must present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, a state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another acceptable form of ID (such as a U.S. passport or passport card) to pass through TSA security checkpoints. If your state-issued license does not have the "star" symbol indicating REAL ID compliance, you will need to use your passport as your primary identification even for a short flight between two U.S. cities. For non-U.S. citizens living in the States, a valid foreign passport remains the gold standard for domestic travel. It is a supportive peer tip to always carry a digital scan of your ID on your phone as a backup, though the physical document is required at the podium. Children under 18 generally do not need to show identification when traveling with a companion on domestic routes.