The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) came out against a fake news that spread in the last few hours claiming that a Costco membership card is a valid ID to board a flight at U.S. airports. These social media rumors relate to all U.S. identification documents and Real IDs. Feel free to read on for all the information.
All Cotsco membership cards have your real ID.
“We love hot dogs and rotisserie chickens as much as anyone else, but stop telling people that your Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not,” the TSA posted on its official X account to clarify a version that surfaced on social media. This fact has to be kept in mind for those members who are unaware of this ID related to their card. Below we expose the main source of the Costco membership version denied by the TSA.
How did the version of the Costco membership denied by the TSA come about?
The rumor arose on the Reddit platform from different experiences told by users of this social network and became widespread when the popular cooking blog Chowhound published an article on its website entitled How can your Costco card save you at the airport? This article was based precisely on those unverifiable Reddit comments where users recalled their surprised experiences.
“The TSA let me through airport security with my Costco card!”
“The TSA let me through the airport security checkpoint with my Costco card!” claims one of the comments and develops the context a bit further, “I arrived at the airport and realized I had lost my driver’s license during my vacation. Boarding was less than 80 minutes away, so I thought I was lost.” In fact, he also presented his Costco card, printed in 2011, with the handwriting so faint it’s hard to make out and a black-and-white photo that is practically nothing more than a smudge after 12 years of use. Along these same lines, the TSA agent confirmed that my Costco card matched the name on my debit card.”
Can you board an airplane with a Costco card? The TSA’s response
In addition to the TSA’s clarification on its official social media, Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Lorie Dankers was blunt when asked about the Costco membership card by local Fox affiliate KTVU. “It’s not an official ID. One has to be mindful of the veracity of this ID and not assume other notions that may be out there on the internet.
However, in his explanation he somehow ends up agreeing with Reddit users when he extends his statement and explains. Dankers added that extreme cases that may arise at airport checkpoints are being contemplated, in fact, he recently expounded that “that in itself is not considered an acceptable ID, but it is a point of reference since at least we know that somewhere they have been given an ID.”
Not only Real ID: What other IDs are valid for TSA?
Several elements other than Real ID have to be taken into account. In the first instance, the passport must be taken into account. Then, the card that corresponds to the passport, the passport card. Next, the Green Card must not be forgotten.
While you have to take into account the above, you should highlight having the enhanced driver’s license, the military IDs along with the global entry card. Finally, we state that you should have the NEXUS card and the veterans’ health card at hand.
Keep in mind all the IDs that are valid for TSA. Despite the false news that has been spread, you can now know all the valid identification in the face of the current misinformation.