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You’ve arrived at the airport for your vacation. Your months of careful planning have ensured that absolutely nothing can thwart this vacation of a lifetime. Only a bustling departures hall and 200 yards of airport terminal separate you from your airplane seat.
But then it hits you: Your driver’s license isn’t nestled safely in your wallet.
What will you tell the check-in agent? The TSA officer? Has one simple mistake caused you to forfeit your prepaid hotels and nonrefundable airfare?
I found myself in a similar predicament. And believe it or not, I was able to board, thanks to the benefit of my travel credit card. Here’s how I got through security — and how you can do it too.
How I got through airport security without a driver’s license
With well over two million airline passengers in the US daily, you can bet that the TSA encounters a handful of travelers who have either forgotten, misplaced or lost their driver’s licenses.
Thankfully, they’re fully equipped to handle such incidents. My circumstance was uniquely adrenaline-inducing, as I realized my mistake while in the TSA queue. I had my boarding pass ready but no ID to accompany it. But here’s the thing: I was in the special TSA PreCheck lane, thanks to my Global Entry membership.
Global Entry is a program that lets you avoid long immigration lines when you’re returning to the US from another country. It also comes with TSA PreCheck privileges, which drastically simplifies your domestic airport security by allowing you to wear your shoes, belt and light jacket (and even keep your laptop in your bag).
You can get reimbursed for the cost of the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee as a perk of many travel credit cards. This includes cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, United℠ Explorer Card and the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, among others, where you’ll receive a statement credit for up to $120 to cover the cost.
Upon confessing my sins to the TSA officer, he asked if I was enrolled in Global Entry — which I was. He then asked if I had my Global Entry card on me — which I did. Global Entry cards contain your photo, so it was sufficient to identify me. The officer took it, and a few seconds later, I was waved through.
Consider buying a travel wallet or passport cover if you often forget your ID or other travel documents. You might consider putting your passport, Global Entry card and other documents in one to keep your important travel documents in one place.
This trifold travel wallet has space for two passports, eight credit cards, a boarding pass and other travel documents. It also blocks RFID signals, so you can travel without worrying about your personal information being compromised.
This rugged RFID-blocking passport holder has room for six credit cards and a passport and has a mesh window ID slot. There’s also a cash pocket that can come in handy when you’re carrying multiple currencies on a multistop international trip.
Other TSA-permitted forms of identification
Yes, a Global Entry card is just as effective as a driver’s license when negotiating domestic airport security. Other commonsense forms of ID, such as a passport or resident card, are also accepted. But what else can you use to get by?
Here’s a quick rundown of all acceptable forms of identification, per the TSA.
View this interactive content on CNN.comNotably, the TSA states that neither a temporary driver’s license nor a weapon permit is an acceptable form of identification. It’s also worth mentioning that the TSA doesn’t require ID for anyone under age 18 when traveling domestically.
Depending on the airport, there may be additional accepted forms of identity verification. For example, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) accept California mobile ID (mDL).
Can you get through airport security with an expired driver’s license?
If you’re carrying an expired driver’s license (or other state-issued ID), the TSA will continue to accept it as a valid form of ID up to one year after the date of expiration. I also found this to be true for my Global Entry card, which had recently expired.
An ID that’s more than 12 months expired won’t be enough to get you through security, but it’s not a bad idea to have anyway. You’ll see why in a minute.
Can you get through airport security with no ID at all?
Believe it or not, it’s possible to get through TSA checkpoints with noID on your person. You’re not guaranteed passage (far from it), but there is a chance.
According to the TSA, an officer may question you concerning personal details. Data points suggest that you could be asked questions relating to the make and model of your car, your previous address and other “mother’s maiden name” type security questions. TSA may even scour the internet to try to ensure you’re who you say you are.
This is where any supplementary documents that indicate your identity could come in handy. At the end of the day, a human being is making the call as to whether they believe you are who you say you are. An expired driver’s license, credit cards with your name on them or even a picture of your passport or ID could be the difference in receiving the OK or not.
Additionally, membership to a trusted traveler program like Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS might help your case. Check out the best credit cards for PreCheck and Global Entry to see how you can get these for free.
Bottom line
Even if you don’t have your ID with you at the airport, it’s possible to still get through security. You can use a passport, Global Entry card, transportation worker identification credential and more.
Even if you’ve got no identification at all, you may be able to get through security by answering several personal questions and submitting to a pat down.
Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the best travel credit cards currently available.