Nearly half of Texans don't have passports
About 45% of Texans who are U.S. citizens don't have a valid passport as of 2024, per estimates from the think tank Center for American Progress.
Why it matters: A valid passport is one of the few forms of accepted identification for international travel — and it's also required for domestic air travel if you don't have a Real ID.
By the numbers: Of the roughly 27 million U.S. citizens living in Texas, 12 million are currently without a valid passport — a gap that could create headaches for domestic travelers and limit mobility abroad.
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Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Nearly half of Texans don't have passports
About 45% of Texans who are U.S. citizens don't have a valid passport as of 2024, per estimates from the think tank Center for American Progress. Why it matters: A valid passport is one of the few forms of accepted identification for international travel — and it's also required for domestic air travel if you don't have a Real ID. By the numbers: Of the roughly 27 million U.S. citizens living in Texas, 12 million are currently without a valid passport — a gap that could create headaches for domestic travelers and limit mobility abroad.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business Insider
Sorry, you can't use your Costco membership card to get through TSA
"Can't fly on hotdogs and hope." That's according to the Transportation Security Administration, which recently posted on social media to let Americans know they cannot, in fact, use their Costco membership cards in place of a Real ID. "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but plz stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," TSA said in an X post on June 4. In a follow-up post on Instagram, the agency said a Costco Gold Star Membership card might get you a 48-pack of toilet paper and other goodies the warehouse retailer is known for, but "it won't get you through a TSA checkpoint." "We get it, you're a bulk-buying boss, the executive of excess, the sultan of samples. But unless your $1.50 hot dog has a passport, you're gonna need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID to fly," the post said. The posts from TSA, which is known to have a tongue-in-cheek social media presence, came after Real ID requirements were set to take effect in May. Americans were scrambling ahead of the May 7 deadline to secure a Real ID, which the Department of Homeland Security had previously said would be required to fly domestically from that date. However, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that Americans would still be able to fly without a Real ID for the time being. TSA's website currently says that travelers without a Real ID — or an alternative form of acceptable identification, like a passport — will be notified of their noncompliance and could be subject to additional screening at the airport. list.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
TSA makes clear if Costco card works as REAL ID
**Related Video Above: Real ID requirement went into effect last month (WJW) — The Transportation Security Administration is warning travelers that a Costco membership card is not the same as a REAL ID. 'We love hot dogs and 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 government agency said on Facebook last week. Can you fly without a REAL ID after the May deadline? The agency did not clarify if people had been attempting to make it through airport security using their Costco cards or if the post was in response to other online messaging. Still, the reaction to the the post caused quite a flurry of enthusiasm from commenters. 'I'm pretty sure that the Costco card is stronger than some passports,' one person wrote. 'I was told my Blockbuster employee name tag from 2005 would work … is this true?' another wondered. Owner of raccoon found with meth pipes vows she won't surrender him The REAL ID deadline was May 7, when states started to require enhanced verification for domestic airline travel and entrance to some federal buildings. In Ohio, the REAL ID has a star on the upper right side of the card. Find out more about REAL IDs and how to acquire one in Ohio right here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
