One international airline allows travelers to use veteran cards as identification

Issued to many veterans who served in the national military, a Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC) from the United States Armed Forces serves several purposes—along with qualifying one for certain government benefits and discounts from some private businesses, it can serve and as TSA-approved Identification on domestic flights.

Veterans IDs do not qualify for international flights that require a passport or passport card.

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In the United Kingdom, flagship carrier British Airways has just announced a policy change where those who have served in that country’s armed forces can use their veterans card to board flights. This makes the carrier the first airline in the UK and possibly the world to create a policy to allow this type of identification. A US airline would not be able to change the acceptable identification rules: policy changes are dictated by TSA.

Here’s how British Airways is changing the game for acceptable ID

The change applies to domestic UK flights only. International travel, with some rare exceptions, does not allow ID other than a passport. Previously, you needed either a passport, driving license or residence card to board British Airways flights in the UK.

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One of the reasons for the change, according to British Airways, comes down to honoring the “connection to their military career” that many ex-servicemen carry throughout their lives.

“We know from our conversations with veterans that this card gives them a way to maintain a tangible connection to their military career,” British Airways CEO and Chairman Sean Doyle said in a statement. “I am pleased that we have been able to make this change, as it underscores our commitment to recognize their sacrifice and service.”

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What card do I need to fly? Internally, things are changing

In the United States, qualified veterans can obtain either the regular veteran identification card or the VHIC, which serves as proof of health insurance benefits and allows them to be treated at dedicated veterans’ hospitals. While both are issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the latter requires more verification and is therefore accepted as ID on domestic flights.

Due to the differences in driver’s license requirements from state to state, the Department of Homeland Security and TSA have prompted people to change their licenses to be Real ID compliant. The idea was introduced by then-President George W. Bush as a single identity verification standard.

While the goal is to eventually require this type of ID to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities, the deadline for when that will happen has been pushed back repeatedly over the years – from 2008 to 2011 and then in 2015, 2018 and 2020.

The most recent deadline set by the TSA is May 7, 2025, but there are already reports that it could be pushed back again to 2027 due to the impossibility of meeting it due to the strain on both issuing agencies and travelers alike. they are used to constant extensions and don’t feel the need to renew their licenses.

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