Four Big Airport Rule Changes for Flyers

Young woman at the airport in Barcelona checking for the flight schedule

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Traveling soon? If you haven't been to an airport lately, now's a good time to brush up on some recent developments that will affect you in the security line. And if you're planning a trip across the pond, you may have to get a special authorization to enter the country you're visiting.

1. Real ID

For adults who board domestic flights, the Transportation Security Administration now accepts only a driver's license or other state-issued photo identification that is compliant with REAL ID security standards. The rule, which went into effect in early May, stems from the REAL ID Act, a 2005 law that established minimum security standards for state licenses and other IDs.

If you don't have a REAL ID, you can get one by going to a branch of your state's department of motor vehicles and presenting documentation such as your birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of address. (You can find the requirements of your state at the website of its driver's licensing agency, which you can look up at USA.gov.)

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The TSA accepts certain other forms of ID for domestic flights, too, such as a passport. See the full list of qualifying options at the TSA website.

If you arrive at the airport without a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or other eligible identification, you may still be able to fly if you go through additional screening, such as providing your name and address on TSA's Certification of Identity form, says Marie Russell, luxury travel adviser at Confetti Travel Service in Kitty Hawk, N.C.

2. One less annoyance in the security line

Over the summer, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stopped requiring airline passengers to remove their shoes as they pass through TSA security checkpoints. The shoes-off policy had been in place since 2006, following a passenger's failed attempt to detonate a bomb hidden in his footwear.

Despite the relaxed rules, you may still have to remove your shoes in certain cases, Russell says — for example, if you're subject to a random secondary screening.

3. An extra requirement for travel to the UK

U.S. citizens who are planning a trip of up to six months to the United Kingdom must apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA), which is electronically linked to your passport. You'll pay a fee of 16 British pounds (which recently equaled about $22). At the U.K. government's website, you'll find more information, as well as a link to the application.

You'll typically receive a decision on your application within a day. Once your ETA is approved, it's valid for two years or until your linked passport expires. You can travel to the U.K. as much as you like while the ETA is active.

4. A heads-up for future trips to Europe

For travelers to many European countries, a requirement similar to the U.K.'s ETA is on the horizon. Starting in the final quarter of 2026, U.S. residents will have to apply with the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) before visiting any of the 30 participating countries in Europe. (For a list, go here.) Your ETIAS authorization will be digitally connected to your passport.

The ETIAS application includes basic information, such as your date of birth and passport number, as well as details, including the purpose of your trip and your occupation. The application requires a fee of 20 euros (recently, that was about $23) for travelers ages 18 to 70; those outside that age range don't have to pay the fee.

You can use your ETIAS authorization for trips of up to 90 days within any 180 days, and the authorization is valid for three years or until your passport expires.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

Ella Vincent is a personal finance writer who has written about credit, retirement, and employment issues. She has previously written for Motley Fool and Yahoo Finance. She enjoys going to concerts in her native Chicago and watching basketball.