dasanmarco

Now, I understand why a lot of americans don't have passports, since it is kind of a pain in the ... to get one if you're not going to use it, but getting a passport card with your passport book is just ticking another box on the form (and paying some pocket change for the additional fee) for something that's potentially so useful.

Whenever I travel (mostly domestically) I carry 2 IDs, 1 in my carry on and 1 on my person, and when I go to my hotel, I'll usually leave 1 ID in the room and take 1 with me, so if I were to lose one it's really no big deal. Usually I'll take the passport card with me for the ID I'll actually use and keep the license in a safe place, since not having a driver's license is more of a headache than losing a passport card which for me is just an ID.

Or for some people, if they happen to be driving a in a state that still confiscates your driver's license for a traffic violation (!) then you're not SOL when it comes to having some kind of ID. Or just losing an ID in general.

miles_navigator

Very interesting way to split the 2 IDs. I never considered checking the box for myself for the passport card when renewing but will give it more thought now.

I did get the passport cards (in addition to the book) for my kids as their ID. The card is easier to carry in my wallet
The card comes in handy for Bank of America museum weekend to get them in with their bank cards.

Doc Savage

Good idea; I'll have to get one when renewing next year.

dasanmarco

Yeah, there's no point carrying 2 IDs if they're together and you lose both.

I've never lost an ID yet, but I have had a situation where I was out drinking and left my ID/credit card at a bar. Fortunately that was near home so I just had to go back to pick it up the next day. And I'm sure there's plenty of people who lost their IDs and had to go through some drama at the airport to get back home. A passport card is a much better backup ID to have than a costco card, lol.

MADPhil

The other alternative ID is your GE card if you have one.

sbm12

It isn't really all that useful, though.

If I'm already traveling with my passport and a license then I don't generally need a 3rd form of ID.

FlyingXplorer

Having a passport card can come in handy if you lose your passport. More so than a DL.

dasanmarco

Yeah, that also works, but < 1% of americans have global entry. something like 1/3rd of americans have a passport.

It's useful if you want to have 2 IDs when traveling domestically. It's a pain to carry a passport book compared to the card if you're not leaving the country.

mike2200

Didn't know about it thanks for posting!

MSPeconomist

It's useful to use as an official photo ID that, unlike a driver's license, doesn't include your home address. For this purpose, it's probably better to use the passport card when possible rather than the regular passport book. GE cards unfortunately aren't always recognized as official government ID.

sbm12

I suppose I consider that sufficiently an edge case for the vast majority of people that it remains mostly useless to me.

Definitely not useful enough to pay extra for it, at least for me.

Then again, I'm not really worried about being out and about in the USA if I lost my ID anyways.

Often1

I always travel with my passport, even on domestic trips. I've also GE. That gives me three forms of valid ID. Not much more I can do and I don't need or want a 4th.

dasanmarco

Oh ok, if you don't mind carrying that around then there's no point having the passport card.

I travel domestically with my driver's license + either my passport card/ge card.

tjl

Perhaps the answer to the subject question is that they are not accepted when crossing international borders by air, which limits their usefulness to many who post on these forums.

Now, if you asked people who frequently cross international borders in North America by land or sea, you might get different answers.

Tizzette

Card only valid instead of a passport for Mexico, correct?