Can One Board a Flight to the US with an Expired US Passport?
 

i don't think I've ever seen this question answered - usually, it comes up, and morphs into a discussion of how to get an ESTA in the non-American passport to get aboard the flight. I'm not asking about ways to get back to the US if stuck abroad, and yes, we all know, as a US citizen once you make it to the US you will be admitted.

Also not asking about how this might be finessed at airports with US pre-clearance (e.g., Canada, Ireland.)

Again, the question - anyone know whether airlines will allow someone to board a US bound flight if the only passport held by the passenger at flight time is an expired US Passport?

TIMATIC instructs the airline websites, check-in agents, and gate agents not to issue that person a ticket or check them in:

Could that person somehow possibly find a sympathetic agent at the ticket counter for an emergency ticket with an expired US passport and a sob story about an imminent family death back home, and how the traveler had never believed there would be a need to renew the passport? Possibly.

But obviously they'd be much better off getting a same-day, emergency passport at the local US consulate or embassy.

Didn't think to check Timatic. And, indeed, I get the dreaded red x if I input the info with an expired US passport.

Interestingly, checking Timatic to enter the UK on 15 March with a UK passport that expired on 9 January 2018 - gets the green check mark for OK to board. As does checking same dates to enter Germany with an expired German passport. Or to enter Germany with an expired French passport with the same dates. But, can't enter Germany with an expired UK or Greek passport for the same dates.

How are you accessing Timatic? I am accessing through the KLM website (actually, it takes me to "Traveldoc" which I assume is a Timatic product of some sort even though it says it is powered by ICTS Europe Systems). However, this interface basically gives a "yes" or "no", without a statement of the rules such as you are seeing.

Here is the link to TIMATIC, directly from its owner IATA, where I've retrieved the quotes I've posted:

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/pas...quirements.htm

If you put the info in with the expiration date a year later, it will be cleared, and then when you show it to the check in agent she's probably unlikely to scrutinize it that closely.

Probably.

That is poor advice.

The expiration date will stand out when the carrier enters or compares APIS data. It should also cause DHS to kick back the flight manifest to the carrier if the carrier manually processes documents. But, depending on the carrier, it may well scan using the RFID and that too will kick back the expired date.

Some of this is on OP who has not supplied the route or carrier. But, more than likely that a city with non-stop air service to the US has a US consulate which can supply a passport-replacing document (single use temporary document which gets OP back to the US). As OP correctly notes, as a USN he can't be denied entry -- it may simply take some time, or not. The issue is boarding the flight to the US.

Thus, rather than dreaming up all manner of ways around this and surmising that staff won't check something as rudimentary as expiration date, just see the consulate and all will be well.

Moderator's Note: Stay on Topic
 

Folks,

Please keep in mind FlyerTalk Rule 5 when posting here:
The OP's question is whether a US citizen with an expired US passport will be permitted by the airline to board a US bound flight.

This has nothing to do with whether British or German subjects with expired passports will be allowed to board flights to their respective countries or with the various types of British passports.

In addition, the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum, according to the forum's sticky post, is the place to ask questions and get information to help you travel safely and with minimal hassle. Before replying to this thread, ask yourself, "If I were traveling today, is this something I need to know?" If you wish to discuss other countries practices, please feel free to start new informational threads specifically dealing with those topics. Discussions of what should or should not be the practices belong in the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum.

Off topic posts have been deleted.

Thank you for understanding,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

As with all airline policies, YMMV. The answer depends on airline and/or individual check-in agent/station manager. I've had agents from one airline not allow check-in/boarding to Singapore with a US passport under 6 months validity while another airline did.

If you want to play it safe, go to US embassy/consulate and get a emergency passport. It's issued in a couple of hours, cost the same as a 10-year passport, issued with 1 year validity which you can trade it by mail back in the US for the 10-year without additional fee.

I know that at a land crossing, a citizen can get in without a passport or an expired one. Once they verify your info of course. LPRs can get in too if they have expired GC or don't have it on them, but they have to be in status and pay a 500+ dollar fine. An expired GC denotes just the expiration of the document, not the status. This was straight from the mouth of a CBP officer at San Ysidro.

The issue is not getting in if you make it to US soil (or a preclearance officer.) The hurdle is the airline letting you board.

This.

A US national cannot be denied entry to the US by the US. So, if OP makes it to immigration on landing, he may get a bit of extra scrutiny, but once everything checks out, he will be fine.

But, I can't think of a carrier which would permit OP to board a flight to the US. That is all the more so if OP is boarding at an airport near a US consulate which can, of course, issue a temporary passport replacing document (emergency passport).

This is not to suggest that there is not some ray of hope somewhere that this might occur. But, only by a carrier employee willing to put his job on the line.

Not to be too pedantic - OK, I confess I love to be pedantic - but I assume you meant to refer to US citizens, not US Nationals. US Nationals are people born in American Samoa.

In fact, some of them just sued today to be considered citizens by virtue of being born in American Samoa: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-a...enship-n860721

Moderator's Note: Topic Drift
 

Folks,

Per the forum's sticky post, the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum is the place to ask questions and get practical information to help you travel safely and with minimal hassle.

Before posting, please ask yourself, “If I were traveling today, is this something I need to know?”

Debating the distinctions between US citizen and US nationals belongs in the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum.

Thank you for understanding,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator