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Travel Documents

Claire Thomas

As the required identification and travel documents are subject to change without notice, we recommend that customers review the current requirements on the Government of Canada's website at https://travel.gc.ca/air/identification-requirements. 

We are  unable to make exceptions to identification requirements, and transportation will be refused to any customer who:

  • Refuses to present the appropriate valid travel document
  • Refuses to show their entire face
  • Does not resemble the photo on the travel document

Please note: Flair will never request that a customer send us a copy of their identification. Please take caution, as scammers will attempt to obtain victims' identification by claiming they work for an airline. 

In this article:

Customer Responsibilities

  • Customers are responsible for ensuring they are familiar with identification requirements for all passengers on their reservation. 
  • For identification and security purposes, a customer's booking must accurately reflect their full name as it appears on their intended travel document.
  • Depending on where they are travelling, customers may also need to provide their date of birth and gender when completing the booking.
  • If the last name on a customer's reservation does not match their identification due to a legal name change completed after the reservation was booked, the customer may present a marriage certificate or legal change of name certificate to verify the change.

For more information on required travel documents and identification, we encourage customers to visit Transport Canada’s website at https://travel.gc.ca/air/identification-requirements. 

Please note that each country may also have specific travel requirements, such as: 

  • Tourist Visas
  • Passport expiration limitations
  • Vaccination requirements
  • Health Protocols

Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary documents for travel and to always travel with the proper documentation. 

Domestic Travel (within Canada)

Under the Government of Canada's Secure Air Travel Regulations, all customers over eighteen (18) years of age are required to present:

  • One (1) piece of valid photo identification by a Canadian government authority or;
  • Two (2) pieces of valid identification issued by a Canadian government authority containing their full name and date of birth

A customer's identification must:

  • Be valid (not expired)
  • Exactly match the name and birth date listed on their reservation 

Examples of Valid Identification:

  • Driver’s license
  • Passport
  • Citizenship card
  • Permanent resident card with a photo
  • Provincial health card with a photo
  • Passport issued by the country of which the customer is a citizen or a national
  • NEXUS card
  • Permanent resident card issued by the United States
  • Enhanced driver’s license issued in the United States
  • Any document referred to in the Government of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. More information can be found on the Government of Canada’s website at Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (justice.gc.ca)

If a Customer does not have a valid government-issued photo ID from the list above, they can use two (2) of the following forms of identification:

  • Provincial health card
  • Provincial identity card
  • Provincial or territorial government identification cards (GICs)
  • Birth certificate
  • Record of Landing Form/Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292)
  • Immigration documents issued to foreign nationals (e.g. Work Permit, Study Permit, Visitor Record, Temporary Resident Permit, Refugee Approved Status)
  • Canadian military identification
  • Federal police identification
  • Federal, provincial or municipal government employee identification cards
  • Old Age Security (OAS) identification card
  • Certificate of Indian Status (Status Card) issued by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
  • Canada Border Services Agency NEXUS card
  • Firearms license
  • Restricted Area Identification Cards (RAIC)

Important things to note:

  • Customers are no longer required to show a gender indicator for domestic travel.
  • Flair cannot accept photocopies or police reports in place of valid identification.
  • Customers under 18 are not required to provide valid identification. However, a provincial healthcare card or birth certificate is recommended as proof of age. 
  • While not required for domestic travel, Flair recommends proof of age for infants under 2 years of age in the form of a birth certificate or provincial health care card.
  • Effective 1 August 2024, an interim/temporary driver's license without a photo can be used as a secondary piece of identification (ID) to travel on Flair.
  • Fishing, hunting and boating licenses are not accepted as identification for domestic flights.

Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary documents for travel and always travel with the proper documentation. 

Transborder (US) Travel

  • Adults, children, and infants must have a valid passport for transborder (U.S.) travel.
  • Canadians holding dual citizenship must travel to Canada with a valid Canadian passport. Certificates of citizenship and other documents previously used as proof of Canadian citizenship are not accepted for travel by air.
  • Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants returning to Canada from the United States must carry a valid passport and a valid Canadian Permanent Resident Card (PR Card).
  • Citizens from countries participating in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization to board a flight to the United States.
  • Chinese citizens holding a full-term 10-year B1, B2, or B1/B2 United States visa must enroll in the Electronic Visa Update System prior to travelling to the U.S.
  • Other foreign citizens must ensure they have all the necessary travel documents (e.g., a valid passport, visa, or residence permit).

Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary documents for travel and always travel with the proper documentation. 

International Travel

  • Adults, children, and infants must have a valid passport for international travel.
  • Canadians holding dual citizenship must travel to Canada with a Canadian passport, even for transit purposes. Certificates of citizenship and other documents previously used as proof of Canadian citizenship are not accepted for travel by air.
  • Visa-exempt foreign citizens must have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board a flight to Canada.
  • Students and temporary workers in Canada who are citizens of a country for which a visa is required to enter Canada must hold a valid visa to return to Canada from travel abroad (even if they have a valid study or work permit).
  • Citizens of a visa-exempt country require an Electronic Travel Authorization if they applied for and/or received their original study or work permit before 1 August 2015.
  • Other foreign citizens must ensure they have all the necessary travel documents (e.g., a valid passport, visa, or residence permit).
  • For identification and security purposes, a customer's booking must provide their full name as it appears on their travel document; they may also have to provide their date of birth and gender when completing their booking.

Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary documents for travel and always travel with the proper documentation. 

Electronic Travel Authorizations

An electronic travel Authorization is a security measure that allows authorities to check each customer's information before they arrive in the country. While an ETA is usually approved within minutes, this process can take a few days, so completing these well before your travel date is essential.

Canada:

  • U.S. permanent residents/landed immigrants (including NEXUS card holders) must have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization to board a flight to Canada. They must also carry a valid passport and a valid Permanent Resident/Resident Alien Card.
  • Visa-exempt foreign citizens must have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization to board a flight to Canada.
  • To see if your country's citizens need an Electronic Travel Authorization or to apply for one, visit the Government of Canada’s website at Electronic Travel Authorization.

United States:

  • Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants travelling to the United States as non-immigrants must have a valid passport and, depending on their citizenship, either a valid non-immigrant visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
  • Citizens from countries participating in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization to board a flight to the United States.
  • Chinese citizens holding a full-term 10-year B1, B2, or B1/B2 United States visa must enroll in the Electronic Visa Update System prior to travelling to the U.S.
  • Other foreign citizens must ensure they have all the necessary travel documents (e.g., a valid passport, visa, or residence permit).
  • For more information on how to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website at Official ESTA Application Website, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary documents for travel and always travel with the proper documentation. 

NEXUS Cards and the Secure Flight Program

NEXUS cards:

  • Customers can use their NEXUS cards (without their passports) when they are pre-clearing Customs and Border Protection.
  • Customers who are travelling from an airport that does not offer pre-clearance must travel with a valid passport. 
  • For more information on travelling with a NEXUS card and airports offering pre-clearing, please visit the Government of Canada's website at NEXUS Program (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)

Secure Flight Program:

As required under the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight Program, secure flight information must be provided at least 72 hours before travel or at the time of booking for reservations made within 72 hours of departure if passengers are travelling:

  • To, from or via the United States
  • On a flight that is flying over the continental United States (excluding flights between two points in Canada)

For more information on the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight Program, please visit their website at Security Screening | Transportation Security Administration

It is the responsibility of customers to ensure they have the necessary documents for travel and to always travel with the proper documentation. 

 

 

 

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