CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ensuring that you have your ID when you fly is a key priority when you travel, but what happens if you're rushing out the door and only realize once you're at the airport that you forgot your ID?
WCNC Charlotte anchor and reporter Jane Monreal spoke with a travel expert about what to do in this case.
Katy Nastro with travel website Going described a typical situation.
"You go into your wallet and you go, 'Oh, I actually don't have any type of identification,'" she said.
Nastro said she's personally been through this scenario but says it is still possible to board your domestic flight without an ID.
According to the TSA, if you get to the airport and realize you forgot your ID, the TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process. That includes collecting information such as your name, current address, and other personal information to confirm your identity.
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Nastro said when it happened to her, the TSA officer went through some of her social media.
"They asked specific questions about where I lived at a certain point in time, or what type of car I drove," she said. "It was pretty interesting to see all the information that they had on hand. But just know that it will be a longer sort of identification process when you get to security."
Nastro also said the three major airlines, including American, offer a "flat tire" policy that can cover this.
"They will allow passengers to get rebooked due to unforeseen circumstances and not having your ID on you can, in fact, be one of those sorts of unforeseen circumstances," she said.
While digital IDs are beginning to roll out in certain states, Nastro said they are only available for passengers with TSA PreCheck.
"It's a digital ID that's stored in your, sort of, traveler profile that you pull up and use in replacement of your physical ID," she said.
An important note: this does not apply to international travel. For that, you always need a valid passport.
"You need that documentation to be able to leave the country and then come back in," Nastro said.
Nastro recommended that travelers store a digital copy of their ID securely on their devices and carry a paper copy of their passport as a backup.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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