Flying without REAL ID could soon cost travelers at the airport

PHOENIX - Flying without a REAL ID could soon cost travelers, as the Transportation Security Administration has proposed an alternative ID verification program that comes with an $18 fee for passengers who do not have a Real ID or passport.

What we know:

The proposed fee, detailed in the Federal Register, would cover the technology behind a new alternative identification verification program, including software, IT infrastructure, and data security for people traveling without an acceptable form of identification.

The program is said to be optional, and the $18 fee covers a 10-day period. However, the Federal Register states: "If you do not have an acceptable form of identification and choose not to use the program – or cooperate with TSA’s identity verification process – you will not be allowed through security."

The backstory:

Since May, those flying in the U.S. must meet REAL ID requirements in order to board a plane.

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 and was enacted following the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses," according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.

Timeline for ID verification program unknown at this time

It is unclear when this new policy could take effect. A TSA spokesperson did not directly answer whether the program could begin before the holidays, but they did say the agency is expecting to learn more in the coming days.

Local perspective:

For the vast majority of travelers, this will not be an issue.

"I got my REAL ID about a year ago," said traveler Brianna Coleman. "I do travel a lot, so it was more effective for me to get my REAL ID."

Coleman offered a different perspective on the fee's potential benefit for infrequent travelers. "If this is a more cost-effective way for them to be able to travel if they’re only traveling once every couple years, and they can’t afford a Real ID or a passport, because a passport is, I believe, like $200."

The other side:

However, for some occasional travelers, like David Gaitan, the cost and hassle of getting the required verification just don't add up.

"We don’t travel very often," Gaitan said. "If I have to pay an extra 18 bucks, that’s fine. If it’s additional screening, we’ll do it."

Traveler Brittney Perfetto expressed concern over the mandatory nature of the IDs.

"I think that if it is mandatory for everyone to have, then everyone should be able to access it freely," Perfetto said.