TSA’s shoes-on screening and touchless ID, explained

In July 2025 two big changes accelerated the move toward faster, more automated airport checkpoints in the United States: DHS ended the default “shoes‑off” requirement on July 8, 2025, and the Transportation Security Administration expanded pilots of biometric identity checks known as TSA Touchless ID. Together these changes are meant to cut lines and modernize screening, but they also raise practical and privacy questions for everyday travelers.

This article explains why shoes can now generally stay on, what TSA Touchless ID does and who can use it, how the technology works behind the scenes, the privacy and legal debates it has sparked, and what travelers should do to prepare while rollout continues across airports and airlines.

Why shoes can stay on now

On July 8, 2025, DHS announced that passengers traveling through U.S. domestic airports no longer must remove shoes as a default checkpoint step. Secretary Kristi Noem said, « Ending the ‘Shoes‑Off’ policy … will drastically decrease passenger wait times. » The change shifts footwear screening from a universal requirement to one driven by threat assessment and available technology at a given checkpoint.

DHS and TSA attribute the policy change to modernization of checkpoint systems. Agencies say modern checkpoint imaging , including CT baggage scanners, upgraded credential devices (CAT/CAT‑2) and advanced imaging technology , supports screening footwear while it is worn without materially degrading detection capability.

Practically, that means most travelers can keep shoes on at many checkpoints, but officers retain authority to require removal or additional screening if an alarm or an individualized inspection is needed. Travelers should still expect variability between airports, terminals and lanes during the transition.

What is TSA Touchless ID?

TSA Touchless ID is a voluntary identity verification option available at dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes. It uses a live facial capture to compare a traveler’s face to government‑staged photos (for example, passport or visa images) via CBP’s Traveler Verification Service (TVS), allowing travelers to pass the document podium without presenting a physical ID or boarding pass.

The system is intended to let enrolled PreCheck passengers move through identity checks more quickly by replacing a manual document check with an automated match. TSA and DHS present Touchless ID as part of a layered, modernized checkpoint strategy intended to reduce dwell times and increase throughput.

Touchless ID is not mandatory; it is an opt‑in service that runs only in participating lanes and only for travelers who meet enrollment and airline requirements. TSA emphasizes that officers may still ask for a physical ID if verification fails or under other operational conditions.

How to enroll and use Touchless ID

To use TSA Touchless ID, travelers must be active TSA PreCheck members and have a participating airline profile. Enrollment requires uploading a valid passport (or other acceptable government photo) and a Known Traveler Number (KTN) to the airline profile and opting in through the carrier so a Touchless ID indicator appears on the mobile boarding pass.

Once enabled, the traveler approaches a dedicated PreCheck Touchless lane where a live face capture is taken; the system compares that image to the pre‑staged government photo template and returns a match result. If successful, the traveler may proceed without handing over a physical ID at the podium.

TSA advises that travelers still carry a physical ID as a backup. The feature’s availability varies by airline, terminal and airport; during rollout travelers can expect inconsistent coverage and occasional failures that will require manual verification.

Privacy, data and backend matching

Touchless ID uses CBP’s Traveler Verification Service (TVS) to create and stage biometric templates derived from passport, visa or other government photos. TSA/CAT‑2 cameras capture a live facial photo at the lane and perform a 1:1 or 1:many comparison against those staged templates to verify identity.

TSA states that live photos captured for Touchless ID are deleted within 24 hours under normal operations, and that the system stores match results and limited transactional metadata. Public privacy materials and PIAs note that some demonstration or testing data have been retained temporarily for analysis under DHS procedures and retention schedules.

Field demonstrations and PIAs list collected items such as the live facial photo, passport number, Known Traveler Number (KTN), match results and transactional metadata like timestamps and quality scores. DHS materials also describe limited data sharing with components such as DHS S&T for testing with defined retention rules.

Operational impact, rollout and equipment

TSA and DHS leaders claim Touchless ID and other checkpoint automations will speed identity verification and cut wait times. Airports deploying dedicated lanes have reported faster document‑check times in early operations, and promotional materials highlight shorter lines as a key benefit.

Deployment has required substantial equipment investment. Congressional and TSA materials report widespread CAT‑2 and credential device rollouts, with roughly 1,800 upgrade kits and nearly 200 new CAT‑2 units procured through FY2024, and plans to expand to hundreds of federalized airports. TSA has also issued RFIs and sought multi‑year contracts for integrated biometric and AI checkpoint solutions.

TSA lists participating carriers (American, Delta, United and Alaska) and dozens of airports in pilots or limited deployment. Media reporting in mid‑2025 identified about 14, 15 airports with Touchless ID lanes or pilots, with Denver (DEN) adding dedicated Touchless lanes on Aug 5, 2025, and examples including ATL, DCA, DEN, DFW, EWR, LAS, LAX, LGA, ORD, PDX, SEA, SFO, SLC and PHL (availability varies by carrier and terminal).

Glitches, confusion and legal pushback

Early rollouts have produced glitches and traveler confusion. Reports describe lanes where the Touchless ID icon appears but the facial scan fails, mixed messaging about opt‑in steps, and inconsistent availability by terminal and airline. TSA says participation is voluntary and officers can still request physical ID, but hiccups have created delays and uncertainty for some passengers.

At the same time, lawmakers and privacy advocates have pushed back. The bipartisan Traveler Privacy Protection Act (S.1691), introduced in May 2025, would create clearer opt‑out protections, prohibit adverse treatment for opting out, limit biometric uses and require deletion safeguards. Civil‑liberties groups such as the ACLU and some senators have urged stronger statutory limits and transparency to guard against mission creep.

Independent reporting and experts highlight additional privacy tradeoffs: concerns around passenger awareness of opt‑out rights, algorithmic bias in facial recognition, cross‑component data‑sharing within DHS, and temporary retention of test data. DHS/TSA materials point to mitigation steps, but critics want formal legal guardrails rather than administrative policy alone.

What travelers should know and practical tips

For ordinary travelers, the most immediate takeaways are straightforward. First, in most domestic checkpoints shoes can now generally stay on after July 8, 2025, but officers retain authority to require removal or extra screening if needed.

Second, TSA Touchless ID is voluntary and limited to enrolled PreCheck travelers who opt in through participating airlines. Don’t assume the lane will be available , availability varies by terminal, airline and airport during rollout , and the Touchless ID indicator must appear on the mobile boarding pass to use the dedicated lane.

Third, always carry a physical ID as a backup until you are confident the Touchless ID indicator and the lane are working for your trip. If the system fails, officers can and will perform manual verification. Finally, weigh convenience against privacy: if you prefer not to share biometric data you can opt out and still use standard PreCheck or regular lanes.

Both DHS’s shoes‑on rule and TSA Touchless ID reflect a larger industry shift toward digital identity and biometrics at airports. The move promises faster throughput but brings technical, operational and policy complexities that will play out over the next several years.

As deployment expands, travelers should watch for airline and airport updates, understand opt‑in steps for Touchless ID, and follow privacy developments in Congress and civil‑society discussions. For now, modernizations aim to make travel smoother , but knowing how the systems work and your rights will help you navigate the transition.