U.S. authorities will allow citizens and travelers with expired passports to board flights if they meet this requirement

The United States maintains a little-known exception that allows citizens and foreigners to board flights within the country even with an expired passport, as long as certain conditions are met.

The regulation, applied at airport security checkpoints, states that the document may be accepted as identification on domestic flights if the expiration does not exceed a specific period.

The United States will allow these flights with expired passports and documents

According to the official regulations of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), certain expired passports may be accepted as a form of identification for domestic flights in the United States, provided the document is authentic, belongs to the passenger, and its expiration does not exceed two years past expiration

The document is not valid for international travel; however, it may be used as identification within the territory under specific security regulations.

What are the options for travelers without valid documents?

According to the official guidelines, starting February 1, 2026, those who cannot present the valid identification required by the TSA -whose full list is published on the agency’s official website-have the option to pay a $45 fee to use the TSA ConfirmID alternative screening process.