How Your Costco Card Could Save You At The Airport

UPDATE 6/3/25: A previous version of this article stated TSA is likely to accept a Costco membership card in lieu of a valid form of ID. TSA does not explicitly state you can use a Costco card as a form of identification, explaining, "The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening." Now with the Real ID requirements, it is even less likely to get you through TSA quickly or successfully.

Air travel makes even the calmest and most collected people feel frazzled after heading through security. Even if you've double-checked your boarding pass, reorganized your suitcase to meet weight limits, and left the house early for the airport, things can still go wrong — like forgetting a photo ID. Whether you left it on the kitchen counter or lost it, this can throw a serious wrench in your travel plans. But if you're a Costco member, not all is lost. Your Costco card could actually save you at the airport.

According to Reddit, TSA has in the past accepted Costco membership cards as a way to help prove flyers' identifications who had misplaced or had their IDs stolen. It seems incredible, but the card technically meets the qualifications to help start the process of proving who you are: a photo and your full name. 

This is not meant to be advice on how to fly without a valid ID, but a potential solution if you find yourself without one at the airport due to loss, theft, or simply forgetting it at home. Using any non-approved form of identification is not only not gaurenteed to work, but also creates a lot of extra work for the TSA employees and will cause delays and frustration for you and potentially other travelers.

As the official government site states, without one of the forms of identification on its list, further security measures will have to be taken to prove your identity. Some Reddit users reported being asked to also show credit cards to help confirm their identity. Security may also do a search to confirm your home address, conduct a more thorough pat-down, and an extensive examination of your luggage. (FYI: While your Costco card will work at stores internationally, it absolutely won't work in place of a passport for international travel.)

Getting through TSA is obviously not an official travel benefit of having a Costco card and being a member, because again, this is not guaranteed to work and will cause all parties involved a huge headache. However, as a Costco member, either Gold Star or Executive, there are some true travel benefits that come with the card. You may think you knew all of Costco's shopping hacks, but you still might not be aware you could use the membership to access Costco Travel and hack your way to travel savings.

Through Costco Travel, you can receive offers on cruises and vacation packages, and even discounts on rental cars and flights with lodging bundles. Admittedly, it's not quite as extensive as a credit card travel center, as there are more limited airlines, hotels, and packages listed. Travel deals may come in the form of competitive pricing, discounts, or rebates. Executive members who book a trip or deal through Costco Travel will also receive the 2% cash back that they normally get on qualifying purchases.