What do you need to show when boarding a plane?

Have both your boarding pass out and a form of ID - either your driver's license or your passport (it must be your passport if you're heading out of the country) - readily available. A TSA agent will check your boarding pass to your ID, and then you must successfully pass through the security check.



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We'll start on familiar ground, with the mnemonic AROW. The letters stand for the documents that must be carried aboard an airplane. They are an airworthiness certificate, registration certificate, operating limitations, and weight and balance information.

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Depending on the requirements of airport authorities, you will need to present a mobile boarding pass, a paper boarding pass printed out by you or a paper boarding pass picked up from the check-in desk.

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Boarding passes are always required to board a flight. Often, airlines accept either paper or electronic boarding passes (on phone or tablet).

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Beginning May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.

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If you don't have any acceptable alternate form of ID, a TSA employee will ask you to complete an identity verification process by filling out a TSA Form 415, also known as a Certification of Identity form. It asks for your full name, current address, signature and date.

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Yes, simply show your mobile boarding pass on a mobile phone, iPad, or Apple Watch and a valid form of identification to the TSA Agent at security to proceed. To board your flight, scan your mobile boarding pass by holding one of the devices listed above with your pass facing the scanner.

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In the event you arrive at the airport without proper ID, because it is lost or at home, you may still be allowed to fly. By providing additional information, TSA has other ways to confirm your identity, like using publicly available databases, so you can reach your flight.

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10 Things Not to Do When Boarding a Plane:
  1. Don't stand in the aisle digging in your carry-on bag. ...
  2. Don't take off your coat standing in the aisle. ...
  3. Don't fill the overhead bin with coats. ...
  4. Don't bring on stinky food. ...
  5. Don't be impatient getting on the plane, yes people have to put their bags in the overhead bin.


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Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight. That said, there are many factors to consider that will help you decide how much time you should budget for at the airport.

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A passport is an acceptable form of identification and may be used in lieu of a REAL ID Drivers License or ID to board domestic flights and visit federal facilities.

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Wear clothing and shoes without metal, and be ready to remove your belt if it has a metal buckle. Tuck large metal jewelry pieces into your carry-on bag before you go through the security checkpoint. Put change and keys into your carry-on or empty your pockets into a plastic bin when you arrive at the checkpoint.

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Beginning May 7, 2025, you will need a state-issued REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, or another acceptable form of ID (such as a passport), to fly within the United States.

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TSA will accept expired driver's licenses or state-issued ID a year after expiration. DHS has extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025.

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  1. Check-in for your flight.
  2. Hand over any luggage that would need to go into the aircraft hold, if you are travelling with luggage.
  3. Pass through the airport security gates to the departures hall.
  4. Find your boarding gate.
  5. Board the plane and fly to your destination.


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You can usually board a flight with a federal or state-issued ID. However, if the photo ID is your expired passport, you can still bring it along. But you will need to back up your identity with other documents, leaving you at the mercy of the TSA.

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Yes. You can show your E-Ticket directly to the driver on your smartphone or device when boarding. This is the quickest and easiest way.

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Flying domestically, all that is needed to board the plane is a valid boarding pass. Some countries may have different rules, but for the most part that's all you need. When flying internationally you will be required to produce both a passport and the boarding pass.

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Not technically. Your boarding pass is your “ticket” to board the plane, but technically your ticket is generated as an “e-ticket,” or an electronic ticket, when you book your flight. Your boarding pass will be generated upon check-in, either online or at the check-in counter.

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Firearms, ammunition, and fireworks are prohibited, as are all knives and safety razors (including pocket knives and Swiss Army knives). Straight razors and replacement blades for straight razors are also not allowed. Most tools also cannot be packed in carry-on luggage, as they have the potential to cause harm.

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