What Happened
Aer Lingus has announced a significant change to its travel policy, requiring all passengers traveling between Great Britain and Ireland to carry valid passports starting from February 25, 2026. This new rule aligns Aer Lingus with Ryanair, which has enforced similar requirements for several years.
Why It Matters
This policy shift marks a departure from the previous arrangement under the Common Travel Area (CTA), which allowed citizens of the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands to travel without a passport. Previously, Aer Lingus accepted various forms of photo identification, such as driver’s licenses. However, under the new rule, only valid passports or Irish passport cards will be accepted for travel on Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional services.
What’s Next
Aer Lingus has stated that this change aims to enhance operational performance and ensure consistency across its network. Passengers traveling on domestic services operated by Aer Lingus Regional, such as the Belfast-UK and Dublin-Donegal routes, will remain exempt from this updated policy. The airline encourages travelers to prepare for this transition well in advance of their journeys.