Aer Lingus to demand passports from passengers between Ireland and Great Britain
Exclusive: British Airways will continue to accept alternative forms of ID between London and Dublin, but passengers may find they are booked on the Irish airline
Astrong
“There is no requirement for Irish and British citizens to carry passports when travelling within the Common Travel Area” – so says the Irish government.
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a passport-free zone involving the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It dates from 1923, and enables citizens of those locations to travel freely between them.
But from 25 February 2026, Aer Lingus will join Ryanair in demanding that passengers between Great Britain and Ireland carry passports.
Until now Aer Lingus has allowed a wide range of identification – including a bus pass, work ID card or international student card – as long as it has a photograph.
The carrier ’s spokesperson told The Independent: “All customers, including Irish or British nationals, travelling on Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional services between the Republic of Ireland and the UK will now require a valid passport or Irish passport card. “The other forms of photo ID previously accepted will no longer be valid for travel.
“Passengers travelling on domestic services with Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines, are exempt from this updated travel policy.
“Domestic services include Belfast-UK and Dublin-Donegal routes.”
British Airways, the sister airline of Aer Lingus, will continue to allow passengers to travel without passports on its links from London City and Heathrow to Dublin.
The airline says: “You do not need a passport to travel between these destinations, known as the Common Travel Area (CTA), but you do require recognised photographic identification that proves your identity and nationality.”
One potential problem is that British Airways sells Aer Lingus flights on its website, ba.com. A passenger buying an Aer Lingus ticket from ba.com may not realise that they need a passport to travel.
Explaining the decision, the Aer Lingus spokesperson said: “This aligns with the travel document requirements across the rest of our network and will ensure consistency and further improve our operational performance for our customers.”
Ferry companies sailing across the Irish Sea between Ireland and England and Wales will continue to accept alternative forms of identification.
There are no checks between the republic and Northern Ireland.
Read more: Common Travel Area: What is it, and how can it help travellers without a passport?
