Required Travel Documentation

Upon reservation, you will need to provide us with some information required by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Secure Flight Program, as well as by our international and domestic travel partners.  This information must match exactly as it appears on your valid government-issued photo identification.  These photo identification requirements are as follows:

• For International Tours – Passport valid for at least six months after your scheduled return home.
• For Domestic Tours – U.S. Driver’s License or other acceptable form of government-issued photo identification.

REAL ID for Domestic Airline Travel

REAL ID (formally The Real ID Act of 2005) is an Act of Congress aimed at making driver’s licenses and other forms of government-issued IDs more secure. All states now issue IDs that comply with this Act.

The key takeaway for travelers is that you must present a REAL ID-compliant form of identification to travel on domestic flights.

For most travelers, this will take the form of a REAL ID – a new license or identification card produced by your state government with enhanced security features.

Importantly, starting on February 1, 2026, you will be responsible for a $45 fee (and may not be allowed to travel) if you attempt to go through airport security without a REAL ID-compliant form of identification. Once this new regulation goes into effect, if you plan to travel without a passport or REAL ID, we recommend visiting the TSA website prior to your trip to verify your identity and pay the fee. All travelers attempting to pass through airport security without a passport or REAL ID will be sent out of line to complete the online identity verification process before being allowed to proceed.

You can find a full list of REAL ID-compliant identification forms on the TSA website.

For up-to-date information regarding passports and REAL ID, see our blog post: Essential Knowledge: Passports and REAL ID.

Before embarking on your trip, be sure to take clear photographs and/or make photocopies of your important travel documents and store them in your checked luggage or in another safe and separate place from your original documents.

• U.S. Passport: If you’re traveling to a foreign country, take photos on your mobile device (or make photocopies) of the first two pages of your passport that contain your passport number and photograph. In addition, bring along two physical passport-sized photos, which are useful if you lose or damage your passport and need to obtain a temporary one.
• Government-Issued ID: If you’re traveling within the United States, take photos on your mobile device (or make photocopies) of your government-issued identification card (e.g., driver’s license, passport, etc.).

Other documents you may wish to copy and carry with you on tour include visas, airline itineraries (with e-ticket numbers), record(s) of inoculations (if required), travel protection and insurance information, and medicine prescriptions.

Sometimes it’s easier to have someone at home available to help you replace lost documents rather than trying to do it from abroad or while on the road.  And of course, you want to be reachable in the event of an emergency.  So be sure to leave your complete itinerary and hotel information, along with copies of all the important documents mentioned above, with a trusted friend or relative. Before you depart, we will supply you with hotel contact information on your My Odyssey portal.