Prepare for the particular trip
For a United States airport checkpoint, prepare three things before travel: an acceptable identity document, belongings packed under the applicable rules, and any assistance you need during screening. Recheck the official guidance close to departure because procedures and supported technologies can change.
Start with the departure airport, airline, route and travelers in your party. An airport security check is separate from the airline’s baggage rules, customs requirements and international entry documents. A connection in another country may involve different screening rules. Use that country’s official aviation-security guidance for that part of the journey.
Check the airline and airport’s arrival advice and checkpoint operating information. Allow for check-in, bag drop, assistance and the walk to the gate as well as the security line. A general arrival estimate or an expedited-screening membership cannot guarantee a particular wait or boarding outcome.
Resolve identification before leaving home
Read TSA’s current acceptable-identification list. For adults, a state-issued REAL ID-compliant license is one option; a passport and other listed documents are alternatives. A temporary driver’s license is not accepted. For children traveling within the United States, check both TSA’s rules and the airline’s requirements, especially for an unaccompanied child.
If you lack acceptable ID, do the planning before reaching the checkpoint. As checked in September 2026, TSA ConfirmID offers an identity-verification attempt for a $45 fee. Its payment covers a ten-day period tied to the travel start date entered. Payment does not guarantee successful verification or entry to the checkpoint. Follow the current TSA page to the official Pay.gov payment route, confirm the traveler’s details and retain the receipt if you use this option.
Keep your chosen document accessible and protected. Check digital-ID eligibility and acceptance separately before relying on a phone; a screenshot of an identification document is not the same as a supported digital-ID service. A physical document from the current acceptable list avoids depending solely on a working phone.
Check the item and the bag it will travel in
Use TSA’s What Can I Bring tool for the specific object, and read both the carry-on and checked-bag conditions. Search unusual items before packing, including tools, sporting equipment and batteries. Follow the linked FAA hazardous-material guidance and airline rules where applicable.
| Item or need | Information to gather | What to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid, aerosol or gel | Container size, quantity and purpose | The normal limit or a documented exception and how to present it. |
| Medication or medical equipment | The actual item and any temperature, handling or device constraints | The applicable TSA medical guidance and how to explain the need to an officer. |
| Battery-powered equipment | Device, battery chemistry/capacity and spare batteries | Carry-on versus checked restrictions and airline/FAA requirements. |
| Unusual object | Exact description and intended bag | Any special packaging, prohibition or additional-screening condition. |
Keep items likely to need explanation easy to identify without exposing private information unnecessarily. For medication or an assistive device, review the relevant official guidance before the trip and tell the officer about a handling concern before screening begins. Ask your healthcare professional about medical handling questions TSA cannot answer.
A packing permission is conditional on the item and screening circumstances. The final checkpoint decision rests with TSA. If the rules are unclear, use an official contact route before traveling and retain the response details as a reference, while allowing for an officer to assess the actual item.
Ask for help and understand the procedure
TSA Cares explains support for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other assistance needs, and provides an assistance-request route. Check its current request instructions early enough to arrange support. Airport or airline mobility assistance is a separate service; coordinate that as needed.
At the checkpoint, follow the officer’s instructions for the lane’s equipment. Procedures can differ, so avoid automatically unpacking everything based on a previous trip. Keep track of all your trays and belongings and allow time to repack outside the immediate screening area.
TSA’s screening explanation describes additional screening and pat-down procedures. You can ask for the procedure to be explained and tell the officer about movement limitations or a painful area. Its guidance also describes requesting private screening with a companion. Use the current page for the full conditions and available alternatives.
Use the route that matches the problem
If a screening interaction needs immediate attention, request a supervisor. For a later concern, record the airport, date, approximate time, checkpoint and a factual description, then use the contact or complaint routes linked from TSA Cares. Keep personal document numbers and medical details out of public posts.
A missing item, a damage claim, a civil-rights concern and repeated travel-screening difficulties may use different processes. TSA’s official screening and contact pages direct travelers to the appropriate service. Save reference numbers and copies of relevant records, and distinguish a complaint submission from a confirmed resolution.