id to fly

[mrs.beast]

we are flying from SF to LA to go to disneyland and was told that i needed id for my children. we are flying southwest. does anyone know what i need? they are 2, 4, and 6. thanks in advance

 

[cymomtx]

Who told you, you needed ID for the children? At that age, I would assume just birth certificates showing that you are the parent with your picture ID. Otherwise I would call the airlines and confirm.

 

[ujpest_doza]

My DD4 and DD 4 Months both have their own passports.

The airline website will tell you what is acceptable as Photo ID for them.

If you are only travelling domestically ie not international, then usually a Photo Drivers Licence or recognised Employer ID Card are enough for adults but i don't know what would be acceptable for a child other than a passport.

 

[Cruz91]

I don't think this is an airline issue, but an airport issue. That's what I was told when I called SW's line for our first flight with the kids. I then called the airport and they said bring birth certs (or at least copies of them). I did that - but never was asked to provide it.

 

[tjmw2727]

You do not need ID for children when flying within the country. Photo ID is required for passengers 18 and over and if you are flying with a lap child under 2 you will need a birth certificate for that child.

I have flown with my kids at least 4x a year since they were born including four r/t flights this year and have never been asked for ID for them. Often the TSA will ask them to tell their name when clearing security but never more than that.

I suggest visiting the TSA website online prior to your flight for the latest information and restrictions.

TJ

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I've never been asked to provide id for my kids. Sounds to me like this is either an airline or airport issue. Really, other than a birth certificate, how would you prove identity for a child anyway? That sounds ridiculous to me...this security stuff is going way too far IMO.

 

[kerrynic78]

We just flew Southwest with our 6 month old and were never asked for any type of ID at all for her...just the adults.

 

[ujpest_doza]

I've never been asked to provide id for my kids. Sounds to me like this is either an airline or airport issue. Really, other than a birth certificate, how would you prove identity for a child anyway? That sounds ridiculous to me...this security stuff is going way too far IMO.

Here in the UK all children have to have their own passports.

DD4 has a 5 year passport issued when she was 1 Month old and DD 4 months also has a 5 year passport issued when she was 1 month old.

They have a digital photograph but they do not need to sign the passport obviously .

Even travelling from one UK airport to another you must show your passport unless you have a photo driving licence which many older people (like me) and obviously all children do not have.

 

[all4fun]

We flew pre and post 9/11 w/our neices and nephew (all older kids who had to have their own seats) and were never required to show ID - and they had different last names as well.

We have flown numerous times w/ds since 13mos (every time he had his own seat) and he has never been required to have ID.

All flights were domestic. As far as I'm aware, the only time a child is required to have ID is if they are flying as a "lap baby" (because the FAA only allows children under two to fly this way, and the airline might want to verify the childs age) or if the flight is international.

Of course it never hurts to have at least a copy of the BC along -- but we've never had it be an issue at all.

hth

 

[Kies99]

Our DD's are 4 & 5 and we've never been asked to provide anything for the kids showing age. Even when they were under two and we didn't buy a ticket for them we still didn't need to provide anything.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Here in the UK all children have to have their own passports.

DD4 has a 5 year passport issued when she was 1 Month old and DD 4 months also has a 5 year passport issued when she was 1 month old.

They have a digital photograph but they do not need to sign the passport obviously .

Even travelling from one UK airport to another you must show your passport unless you have a photo driving licence which many older people (like me) and obviously all children do not have.

I could understand that if our guidelines were similar, but we only need passports for kids if they are leaving the country. As it is, there is a rush for kids to get passports in the US now because you won't be able to cross the border to Canada or Mexico without them in 2008 (by land or air). I can't imagine the back log there would be if we had to have passports for travel within the continental US.

 

[ujpest_doza]

I could understand that if our guidelines were similar, but we only need passports for kids if they are leaving the country. As it is, there is a rush for kids to get passports in the US now because you won't be able to cross the border to Canada or Mexico without them in 2008 (by land or air). I can't imagine the back log there would be if we had to have passports for travel within the continental US.

Its odd really reading this thread, as there was a thread yesterday about someone whose son's 9 year old friend was no longer travelling as he had been naughty but his ticket was non changeable and non refundable.

If a 9 year old doesn't have to show id to fly domestically in the US then any other similarly aged child could surely take his place ?

As it happens, my DD4 is unrecognisable from her passport photo and there is no requirement to change the photo until she renews her passport in 2008.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

If a 9 year old doesn't have to show id to fly domestically in the US then any other similarly aged child could surely take his place ?

Yes, I would probably say that is a correct statement. Not saying its right, but yeah, it sure could happen. Now I'm on my 2nd marriage and my two oldest have a different last name-you would think that would cause some issues at the airport and still I haven't ever been asked for id for them. Nor have they ever been questioned by airport security. We've flown out of Newark, JFK, Atlantic City & Philly since 9/11...same experience.

 

[rrobin3051]

I always bring birth cert. for my children but never need them. On SW when flying with a child under 2, they did ask for his. Now we just flew on continental and no bc needed, not even for the under 2. Now I believe if they are 16 and above they need photo id...school id, drivers license, or state id. My niece is 17 and they checked hers. Just bring copies of the bc and you will be fine.

 

[mjantz]

We flew domestically over the summer & brought our kids passports as ID. No one at security even looked at them.
I always brought their birth certificates when flying, even pre-9/11. My thought was that I need my ID so my kids need their ID, which is their birth certificate. Now that we have photo IDs for them, we bring them.

 

[Trentmom]

we are flying from SF to LA to go to disneyland and was told that i needed id for my children. we are flying southwest. does anyone know what i need? they are 2, 4, and 6. thanks in advance

You don't need id for the kids

You only need id, if one of the kids was close to 2 and you were not buying him or her a ticket, and were flyng with them on your lap..then you would need a birth certificate to prove they were under 2.

Don't worry. You will be fine....

I have flown Southwest this year and last year with my 3 yr old son, 2yrs last year...they don't ask for a thing.

 

[waltskids]

We have flown twice with our infant son and wasn't asked for ID either time (Spirit and US Air). We do bring a copy of his birth certificate just in case.

 

[cymomtx]

Yes, I would probably say that is a correct statement. Not saying its right, but yeah, it sure could happen. Now I'm on my 2nd marriage and my two oldest have a different last name-you would think that would cause some issues at the airport and still I haven't ever been asked for id for them. Nor have they ever been questioned by airport security. We've flown out of Newark, JFK, Atlantic City & Philly since 9/11...same experience.

I have had problems with this issue when they rearrange seating and break up our party based on last names.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I have had problems with this issue when they rearrange seating and break up our party based on last names.

I guess I should be thankful that this has never happened to us. Now you would think that the airline would go according to reservations and not according to last names...dumb if you ask me...but then I am constantly amazed at the lack of thought that goes into most of those corporate decisions!

 

[all4fun]

I have had problems with this issue when they rearrange seating and break up our party based on last names.

Not to go too off topic but we've had problems w/the airline breaking us up and seating us separately (even my then 3yr old was supposed to sit by himself - of course they fixed that at the airport). We all have the same last name. Sometime it depends on how the flights were booked too. For instance once they changed planes on us therefor all the seating assignments changed. Because some of our airfare was booked on mileage points and the rest cash, our ressies weren't linked in their system and they split us up.