At more than 100 airports in the United States, travelers will no longer need to scan their boarding passes at security. And Miami International Airport (MIA) is on the list published by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Who hasn’t happened more than once when a TSA officer asks you for a paper boarding pass you can’t remember in which pocket or place you put it? Sometimes you have this in your phone too, but for some reason it either crashes or runs out of battery. Now this will not be a problem.
As of now, at all 100 of these US airports, TSA officers have begun using updated and improved technology that allows agents to verify passengers’ flight details by scanning your US government-issued identification document.
More US airports are slowly being added to this updated list by the TSA.
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What Kind of Information Does Credential Authentication Technology Display?
This technology is called Credential Authentication Technology (CAT).
It is a system electronically linked to the flight database that allows TSA officers to verify all details of passengers’ flights and see if they are enrolled in a trusted traveler program, popularly known as the trusted card. is known in , as is the case with TSA PreCheck, among others.
CAT changes the rules of the security game, as it guarantees that it knows “almost” in real time and at the same airport’s security control if an ID is authentic, verifying a reservation and pre-selection status in what is called To have a secure flight, you must have complete passenger details on your reservation at least 72 hours prior to your flight.
This new technology makes it easier to detect fake identification documents while verifying the identity of passengers and flight information.
TSA officers will no longer ask passengers for their boarding passes but instead provide a government photo ID to be inserted into the CAT unit, where it will be scanned and analyzed for identification.
What are acceptable identification documents?
In order to benefit from the CAT scanning process, travelers over the age of 18 must show one official form of TSA-accepted identification.
Driving license should be a real ID, which will become mandatory from May 7, 2025.
In addition, you can show a US passport or passport card, US Department of Defense ID and US Navy ID, permanent resident card or other US government-issued ID.
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The following cards from the Trusted Traveler programs, Trusted Cards, are accepted for identification: Global Entry Card, Sentry—Secure Electronic Network for Passenger Rapid Inspection—, Fast ID—Free and Secure Business—and Nexus.
Removing the requirement to show a boarding pass is just one of many ways the TSA is simplifying and speeding up the airport security process so you don’t waste time. Nevertheless, passengers are still required to check in with their airline and obtain a boarding pass, either paper or electronic, and will still need to scan their boarding pass at the gate when boarding their flight.
The TSA also recently unveiled new Computed Tomography (CT) X-ray systems that will finally allow travelers to carry liquids and laptops in their carry-on luggage, speeding up the often slow security lines.
Additional scanners are already being deployed at airports across the US. TSA aims to allow laptops and 3-1-1 liquids to be placed inside suitcases or carry-on bags during checkpoint screening in the near future.
To expedite security control, the agency reminds you to review the list of ‘harmless’ items you should never pack in your carry-on suitcase and the foods that are allowed.
To reduce wait times at security, many travelers already use TSA PreCheck, which allows travelers to carry liquids and laptops in their hand luggage and always saves valuable minutes in long lines Is.
