Elliott Confidential

Elliott Confidential

Is the TSA’s new $45 penalty for non-compliant IDs fair?

Screeners will refer passengers to the fee-based TSA “Confirm.ID” payment option if they don't show a valid ID at the airport

Christopher Elliott's avatar
Christopher Elliott
Dec 05, 2025
∙ Paid

Looks like the government has finally found a way to monetize your procrastination.

After years of delaying the Real ID deadline—a saga that has dragged on longer than a Marvel movie franchise—the Transportation Security Administration has announced a new policy for travelers who still don’t have a compliant license.

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