They are asking at the Club whether they can photo an identification with picture these days, so they do not have to ask you for one when you arrive; it works pretty well, in my experience. In this instance, even if they got a spouse card and FFN proffered, there wouldn't be any traction when they look at the photo identification whether tendered or from their computer record.
Originally Posted by
economyplusfan
You might wonder how this works. The two cards look the same, except the primary cardholder's card has Admiral's Club printed on the back. The spouse card does not have that printed. I am sure there are electronic signals as well.