February 2, 2026
Papers, please? Or $45?
The TSA's New $45 Fee to Fly Without ID Is Illegal
TSA wants $45 to fly without ID—outrage over ‘illegal’ cash grab
TLDR: TSA started charging $45 to fly without ID, even though no law requires ID for domestic trips. Commenters call it an illegal cash grab and surveillance creep, while others say airlines can refuse service; ID-free flyers brag it still works and expect the fee to crumble.
The internet is having a full-on meltdown over TSA’s surprise $45 fee for flying without ID, with commenters yelling that there’s literally no law requiring ID for domestic flights. People dug up the receipts: ID checks started as a 1990s “we’re doing something” move, not a law, and TSA’s own site has long said you can still fly without ID. Cue rage and jokes about “REAL ID, unreal rights.” Privacy hawks call it a cash grab that smells like surveillance creep—one user warned it’s about tracking and controlling movement, not safety. Others fired back with hardline takes: private airlines can “tell you to buzz off” if you won’t show ID, sparking a right-to-travel vs. property-rights slap fight. Meanwhile, the “Frommers should fund a test case” line became a meme about how only the rich can challenge this stuff. A seasoned commenter flexed that they’ve flown ID-free twice and predicted the fee will flop because the law is clear. The family angle added fuel, with earlier threads claiming the fine print punishes parents link and more outrage in follow-ups link. With Oklahoma lawmakers resisting a driver-license database and watchdogs noting TSA hasn’t got approvals for its forms, the vibe is: bureaucracy theater vs. your wallet.
Key Points
- •The TSA began charging a $45 fee to travelers flying without REAL ID.
- •The article asserts no U.S. law requires ID for domestic flights or authorizes the new fee, and TSA’s website says travelers may still fly without ID.
- •The REAL ID Act governs which IDs federal agencies may accept but did not create an ID requirement for air travel.
- •Past legal challenges (e.g., John Gilmore, Phil Mocek) highlight TSA’s policies allowing flight without ID and legal barriers to challenging enforcement.
- •Neither TSA’s Form 415 nor the $45 fee’s information collection has OMB approval; Oklahoma legislators petitioned their Supreme Court to block driver data uploads to the SPEXS database.