TSA Warns Travellers: Your Costco Card Is Not a REAL ID — ISN Reveal by Riad Beladi, International Supermarket News
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a firm yet humorous warning to travellers this week: your Costco membership card will not get you through airport security. Despite growing confusion on social media, especially among fans of the wholesale giant’s rotisserie chickens and famous £1.50 hotdog deal, the TSA made it crystal clear that loyalty cards — no matter how beloved — do not count as government-issued ID.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the TSA addressed the issue directly, writing: “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 clarification comes less than a month after the United States officially began enforcing its REAL ID travel rules. As of 7 May 2025, anyone over the age of 18 flying domestically must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s licence or other TSA-approved identification at airport checkpoints.
According to multiple reports, the confusion stems from isolated incidents where passengers, lacking proper ID, tried to use their Costco cards to verify their identities. In rare and exceptional cases, TSA agents may use secondary forms of identification — such as a photo-bearing membership card — as part of a more rigorous identity verification process. But this is not standard procedure, and it can delay travel or result in denied entry. What the TSA wants travellers to know is simple: Costco cards are not and will never be a substitute for a passport, driver’s licence, or federal ID.
The REAL ID is a standardised form of identification introduced under the REAL ID Act, which was passed by Congress in 2005. Its primary purpose is to make personal identification more secure and consistent across all states and U.S. territories. To be considered REAL ID-compliant, your driver’s licence or state-issued ID must feature a gold star symbol. Alternatively, you can present a valid U.S. passport or passport card, Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI card, U.S. Department of Defense ID (including IDs for dependents), permanent resident card, or Veterans Health Identification Card. More details can be found on the official TSA website: www.tsa.gov/real-id
This bizarre moment offers an important lesson for retailers and loyalty programme operators: brand familiarity does not equal federal approval. The incident reveals just how embedded loyalty schemes like Costco’s have become in everyday life — so much so that some customers mistakenly think of their membership cards as universally valid credentials. It also underscores an opportunity for brands to better educate customers on the limits of membership cards, especially as loyalty cards become more digital and personalised.
Costco membership may open the door to wholesale bargains and family meal deals, but it won’t open airport gates. The TSA’s message is clear, if tongue-in-cheek: bring your real ID to fly — not your grocery discount card.