TSA Warns Americans: Costco Membership Cards Won't Get You Through Airport Security
TSA confirms Costco membership cards are not valid for REAL ID airport security requirements.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a lighthearted yet firm clarification this week regarding acceptable forms of identification at airport security checkpoints. Addressing recent online chatter, the TSA emphasized that a Costco membership card does not qualify as a REAL ID or any valid form of government-issued identification required for air travel.
"We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," the agency posted on social media Wednesday. The message comes in response to growing confusion among some travelers, particularly after updated federal identification requirements for domestic flights went into effect in early May.
Beginning May 7, all passengers flying domestically are required to show a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another form of federally approved identification, such as a U.S. passport or a Defense Department-issued military ID. The new standards are part of a long-awaited security policy first established by federal law in 2005, following the recommendations from the 9/11 Commission report. The TSA reiterated that only specific, government-issued documents meet the criteria for boarding a flight—retail and membership cards, regardless of popularity, do not.
"Department of Defense IDs for active and retired military continue to be an acceptable form of ID at TSA checkpoints following the implementation of REAL ID last month," the TSA clarified in a follow-up statement Thursday. This additional guidance aims to assist travelers who may still be unclear about which documents will allow them through security checks.
As the deadline approached, many travelers scrambled to secure their REAL ID-compliant credentials, resulting in extended wait times and crowded DMV offices nationwide. The surge also exposed ongoing uncertainty over what documentation is needed to obtain a REAL ID, with some arriving at DMVs equipped with passports, birth certificates, or Social Security cards—sometimes unsure which combination would suffice.
The TSA urges travelers to verify in advance whether their identification meets the new standards before heading to the airport. Officials also encourage the public to consult the official TSA website or their state Department of Motor Vehicles for a comprehensive list of acceptable forms of identification, to help avoid unnecessary delays and confusion at security checkpoints. As the TSA made clear this week, no matter how valuable a Costco membership is for shopping, it won’t get you past airport security.
