Flying without a Real ID? It could cost you $18 and a trip through a new screening process

By Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times

Travelers who attempt to fly without a Real ID or a passport could be subject to a new airport security screening program that carries an $18 fee.

On Thursday, the TSA announced another option for travelers who have yet to get their Real ID or are flying without their passport: the modernized alternative identity-verification program.

The proposed program will use a new biometric kiosk system to verify identification before the traveler is permitted to pass through the TSA checkpoint, according to a notice posted on the Federal Register.

This option does not guarantee an individual will be granted access beyond the checkpoint and into the airport. To address the costs associated with the program, the TSA will require participants to pay an $18 fee, wh