Alaska to Add Touchless ID to Three More Cities

Alaska Airlines will bring the Transportation Security Administration PreCheck Touchless ID program, based on facial-recognition technology, to three more cities following prior launches this year in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., the carrier announced Friday.

Touchless ID will be available June 26 for departing Alaska customers at Seattle Tacoma International Airport, with Los Angeles International Airport set to begin July 8 and Portland, Ore., starting July 10.

TSA Touchless ID enables travelers to verify their identity with their face without the need for a physical ID. Eligible customers can opt in using their Mileage Plan account and must have a valid Known Traveler Number from TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and an eligible passport saved to their Alaska profile, according to the carrier. 

Once opted in, the Touchless Identity icon will be added to a customer's electronic boarding pass whenever traveling through an eligible airport. Customers can opt out at any time.

Touchless ID users still need to have a Real ID-compliant identification available, in case a digital ID cannot be verified at the TSA security checkpoint, according to Alaska.