Traveling to Canada on AS with a Nexus card but no passport
 

Does anyone have any real world experience traveling to Canada on AS with a Nexus card but without a passport? Both countries explicitly say it's fine but apparently some airlines don't know that and gate agents occasionally deny boarding.

My wife's passport just expired, she has to go to YVR on short notice and I'm hoping that AS knows the rules.

Technically Alaska's website only refers to verifying documents, and defers to the relevant governments for what's valid. Your wife will be at the mercy of the agents though.

If you want to avoid any problems, get a rush passport (if there's still time even for that).

Neil

I fly in and out of Vancouver into/out of the US all the time and the ONLY time I have to show my passport is at the gate. Government employees are happy with the Nexus card but the airlines ask for the passport. Some agents are clueless about Nexus and some recognize it.

The rush passport seems like very good advice.

I second this. I fly out of YVR on AS all the time. I have tried to use my Nexus card at the gate check a couple of times but the gate agents insist on a passport. I have never pushed the issue too hard as I always have my passport with me anyway but I definitely got the feeling that I wouldn't have won that battle. As with anything, though, YMMV. But I wouldn't be counting on it if it was essential that I fly that day and I would be going for that rush passport.

I am Canadian and have a Nexus card as well. I travel often between YLW-SEA. I always get TSA Pre but always have to provide my passport at the gate in Kelowna for verification. I have tried to use my Nexus card but it is never accepted even though the KTN is on the reservation. When I arrive in Seattle I have to use my Pasdport at the Nexus terminals to make my declaration. My partner who does not have Nexus always gets TSA Pre when traveling with me. He uses Mobile Passport, passes right by me and heads down to the carousel only needing to scan his Mobile Passport receipt when leaving customs.

Returning SEA-YLW, if Passports have not yet been verified the agents will call all passengers with outstanding verification to present themselves at the gate. Again never had success with my Nexus card.

Interestingly, the only time I am able to enter the United States via air without providing my Passport was departing YVR with US Pre-clearance. The Nexus Terminals in YVR will read a Nexus Card unlike SEA or PHX.

Great for Global Entry even if transiting the United States. Also used it successfully at land border crossings and arriving by marine.

James

If your wife has any trouble getting a rush passport, she can drive across. NEXUS is good for land entry without a passport. Just hop a flight to BLI or SEA and drive.

It always makes me laugh when the agents at YVR make people show passports to get on the plane. Everyone is technically “in” the US.

I laugh more when people make this false assertion. No one is in the US "technically" or otherwise, although pending Bill C-23 is potentially weaking that distinction. The passengers are pre-cleared for entry into the US and are still subject to further inspection on arrival at the US destination airport (rare as that may be). The agents ask for passports because the airline is still responsible that the passenger manifest matches the US pre-clearance info going to the specific destination airport - so they ask for a Passport (or NEXUS) at boarding.

Timatic, the international tool that airlines use to determine visa and passport requirements, is super clear about NEXUS. If you’re worried about a rogue agent you can use the Emirates website to print out a copy: https://www.emirates.com/english/pla...uirements.aspx

I don’t think I’ve flown AS with just a NEXUS card, but I have flown Delta and Westjet without issue (except that I couldn’t check in at a kiosk or online, both times an agent had to check me in.)

No.

No one is disputing that a Nexus card meets the requirments to enter the US or Canada as far as the WHTI. But airlines are free to make their own rules as to what they require. If you look in the Nexus thread, there are loads of reports about which airlines not to use if you want to travel with a Nexus card alone. Porter springs to mind. And is this really the fight you want to have as your flight is boarding? You may (but more likely will not) win eventually but you probably won't be on the flight you planned to be on.

Even the CBP and CBSA tell you to check with your airline first as they may require you to present a passport.
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...al-information
Under theWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative(WHTI), the NEXUS card has been approved as an alternative to the passport for air travel into the United States for U.S. and Canadian citizens. However, if you are traveling without a passport we advise that you contact the airline first.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-vo...v-eng.html#_s1
Acceptable documents to denote identity and/or citizenship
You should carry a valid Canadian passport for all visits abroad, including visits to the United States (U.S.). A passport may be required by your airline or alternative transportation authority, as it is the only universally-accepted identification document, and it proves that you have a right to return to Canada.

No, you really aren't. 'Technically' or otherwise. You are pre-cleared for entry into the US. That's all.

I've looked some more and the websites for both Canada and the US are unambiguous. They say that the Nexus is acceptable without a passport.

I called AS and after researching their manual the agent read exactly the same language as on the government websites except AS only mentioned travel to three cities in Canada, one of which is YVR.

Therefore AS policy is in agreement with government regulations at least for the route that matters to us. Given that agents are asking for passports when presented with a Nexus card the question remains what will happen at the gate if she either doesn't provide one or shows one that is expired.

She will almost certainly lose the in-person battle and miss her flight. Get a rush passport if she absolutely positively have to travel by plane. This isn't the kind of thing you should go in hoping you can talk your way past the gate agent about.

Neil

Agreed. She will almost certainly lose this battle at the gate. The GA's at YVR will only accept a passport. Whether that is AS' requirement, someone else's rule or no one's, if the agents at your airport feel the same, you most likely aren't going to win this in time to catch the flight. If she must travel, get the rush passport.

I've dug further and AS provides a tool to confirm what documents are required (https://alaskaairlines.traveldoc.aero). Here is what it says...

Passengers holding a NEXUS card may only use this document in lieu of a national passport if the passenger is travelling directly from the United States to one of the following NEXUS designated airports in Canada:

Calgary International Airport (YYC),
Edmonton International Airport (YEG),
Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport (YHZ),
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL),
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW),
Toronto Billy Bishop City Airport (YTZ),
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ),
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) or
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG).

Passengers holding a NEXUS card may use this document in lieu of a national passport, provided the passenger is travelling directly from one of the following NEXUS designated airports in Canada to the United States:

Calgary International Airport (YYC),
Edmonton International Airport (YEG),
Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport (YHZ),
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL),
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW),
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ),
Vancouver International Airport (YVR), or
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG).

Given that this information comes directly from AS website it seems reasonable that agents working these routes know both the applicable government and company rules.

I'm not disagreeing that this is the rule as well as CBP and CBSA accepting only a Nexus. I've looked this up myself in the past. I am just saying that based on my experience, and the experiences that others have posted in this thread and in the Nexus thread, some GAs (those at YVR for example) have insisted on a passport. You can argue the rule with them, show them this printout, show them the CBP, CBSA and WHTI sites etc. and you will likely win eventually as you are correct. But will you make the flight you are wanting to board? If I had no pressing need to fly on that flight, I would try it. If I had to fly, I would take the safe route and renew my passport. You may not - and really shouldn't because of WHTI - have any problem whatsoever, which is how it should be. But on the flip side, if you do run into a GA who wants a passport, can you afford to miss the flight while you argue your case?