Travel rules & regulations
The rules, in plain English
A practical reference for the rules that trip people up: ID, security, passports, entry permits, medicines, kids and refunds. Official sources only, with a date on every page.
Last checked: November 14, 2026. Sources: TSA, DHS, FAA, US Department of State, US DOT, CBP, the European Union and the Government of Canada.
Not legal advice. This page is a plain-language summary of official rules for general information. Rules change and individual situations differ. Always confirm with the official source linked below before you travel.
REAL ID for domestic flights
What ID you need at a TSA checkpoint for a flight inside the United States, and what happens if you do not have it.
TSA carry-on and liquids rules
The 3-1-1 liquids rule, its exemptions, shoes, kids, batteries and PreCheck, from TSA and the FAA.
US passport application and renewal times
How long a US passport takes right now, how to speed it up and what to know for children under 16.
Travel authorizations: ESTA, ETIAS and EES for Europe, and Canada eTA
Which online authorizations exist, who needs them, what they cost and their status as of November 2026.
Traveling with medications
Screening at TSA, coming back into the US, and checking the rules at your destination.
Kids traveling with one parent
Consent letters, passports for children and what Canada asks for when only one parent is traveling.
Airline passenger rights: DOT refund rules
When US rules entitle you to a refund, what counts as a significant change, bag-fee refunds, the 24-hour rule and tarmac delays.
Something changed that should be here? Short-lived updates appear in Travel news.