What The Tech: Does Digital ID work in airports?
BY JAMEY TUCKER, CONSUMER TECH REPORTER
Millions of Americans still travel without a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, and on a busy travel day, more than 150,000 passengers may arrive at airport security without a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
Apple has another option for iPhone users.
Digital ID in Apple Wallet lets travelers create an electronic form of identification using a U.S. passport and present it at participating TSA checkpoints.
But does it actually make getting through airport security easier? I tried Apple Digital ID at three different airports. The results were mixed.
How Apple Digital ID works
Apple introduced Digital ID in late 2025. The idea is similar to keeping credit cards, boarding passes and concert tickets in Apple Wallet. Instead of storing the physical passport itself, your iPhone creates a Digital ID using information
from your U.S. passport.
Setting it up takes only a few minutes:
1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the plus sign.
3. Choose Digital ID.
4. Select U.S. Passport.
5. Scan the photo page of your passport.
6. Hold your iPhone near the passport so it can read the embedded electronic chip.
7. Take a video selfie to verify your identity.
Once the setup is complete, the Digital ID is encrypted and stored on the iPhone.
Using Digital ID at airport security
At a participating TSA checkpoint, double-click the iPhone’s side button and select Digital ID. Hold the phone near the TSA identity reader and authenticate with Face ID. The TSA system can then receive the identification information it needs. That means there is no need to dig through a wallet or purse for a driver’s license.
It can also provide an accepted form of identification for domestic air travel if your driver’s license isn’t REAL ID compliant. Apple says Digital ID is accepted at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports, although availability can vary by checkpoint and equipment. It is also important to note that Digital ID can
be used only for domestic flights.
Using Digital ID at grocery stores and restaurants
If you plan to use Digital ID to prove you are old enough to purchase alcohol, you will be disappointed. Restaurants, convenience, and grocery stores seem to be unaware of the technology. Retail and eating establishments want your physical driver’s license.
Is Apple Digital ID safer?
Apple says Digital ID offers privacy and security advantages over carrying a physical document. A driver’s license or passport can be lost or stolen. Digital ID information is encrypted on the iPhone and requires Face ID or Touch ID before it can be presented. The phone also shows what information is being requested before you approve sharing it. Digital ID does not, however, replace your physical passport for international travel.
And don’t expect every business to accept it as identification. In my experience, most convenience stores, bars and restaurants still want to see a physical driver’s license.
So, does Apple Digital ID actually work?
I tried Digital ID at three different airports. At one airport, it worked flawlessly. At another, the process took so long that I eventually gave up and pulled out my driver’s license. At the third airport, Digital ID didn’t work at all.
TSA agents I spoke with also told me they rarely see passengers using Digital ID and believe many travelers still don’t know the feature exists.
So while Apple Digital ID can be convenient, I wouldn’t leave your physical identification at home just yet. If you’re planning to use Digital ID at the airport, keep your driver’s license or passport with you as a backup.
For now, Digital ID is a promising travel convenience. But based on my experience, it isn’t quite ready to make the old-fashioned wallet obsolete.
