Don't have a Real ID? The TSA just made your airport experience easier
Apple just gave frequent flyers—and Real ID procrastinators—something to look forward to this fall: a digital passport option in Apple Wallet. The feature, part of the next iOS update, lets users create a digital ID using their U.S. passport. Even better, the Transportation Security Administration just approved it as a Real ID alternative—but only for certain types of travel.
' Digital ID offers a secure and private new way for users to store and present their ID information using their iPhone and Apple Watch,' Apple said in a recent release. 'Users can seamlessly create and add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet using a U.S. passport.'
This is surely something iPhone users will get excited about, but here's the fine print: the new feature is not a full passport replacement. It's only approved for domestic travel and only at TSA checkpoints that support it. You'll still need your physical passport to get through customs, immigration or any international border. But for domestic travel? It's officially Real ID compliant.
As Real ID enforcement began in May, many travelers found themselves scrambling, either upgrading their licenses or falling back on passports just to fly from one city to another. Apple's digital ID is now a workaround for those who still haven't made the switch, letting users tap through security instead of rifling through their bulging bags to flash a physical document.
The TSA confirmed that digital passports in Apple Wallet will be accepted at supported domestic checkpoints—with 250 airports already on board, including LAX, JFK and O'Hare—but they are clear about one thing: bring your real passport if you're going abroad. Period.
Alongside the digital ID, Apple's also polishing up boarding passes and adding new travel tools to Wallet to streamline your airport routine. It's a smart step forward, but it's not a replacement yet, so keep that passport handy, at least until international travel catches up.
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