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This month I'll be flying twice within the United States. I am a US citizen with a valid drivers license, flying within US boundaries. Is this sufficient to fly? I haven't held a valid passport for over 12 years and am uncertain of the flying restrictions in this day and age. Will I be OK to fly without my Passport?

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While the percentage of US citizens having a passport has gone up to 37% in recent years, there are about 30,000 commercial passenger flights per day in the US. Well that's as far as I could get with the numbers but I think there's a lot more people on internal flights than people with passports... – hippietrail Oct 8 '11 at 8:02

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You don't need a passport to fly within the US. As long as you have your driver's license, that is enough to get you through TSA check points. It's when you travel outside the US that you will need your passport.

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out of interest, what do you do if you don't have a driver's license? – e100 Mar 20 '12 at 15:55
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@e100: You can get a state ID card from the same state agency that issues driver's licenses. It is basically just like a driver's license for ID purposes, except that it doesn't permit you to drive (and of course you don't have to pass a driving test to get it). This is what most non-drivers do; the driver's license is more or less a de facto national ID card and it is pretty hard to survive without it or an equivalent. – Nate Eldredge Apr 27 '12 at 14:26
@e100 here is a complete list of acceptable ids and alternatives to photo ids from the TSA website: tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids – Abe Jan 3 at 4:01
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The main changes since the last time you flew involve all those other places that used to not require a passport. e.g. Whereas previously it was possible to visit Canada or Mexico with just a driver's license, you now need a passport.

Within the US, AtlasRN is 100% correct. Your driver's license will be sufficient. What you will find different these days is the amount of security checks, scans and restrictions. You will be wise to wear shoes that are easy to remove, read up on the restrictions for carrying liquids in your carry-on bags, carry electronics (especially laptops) in a bag that makes them easy to remove, and allow extra time for getting through security.

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