Major shake-up for Irish flyers as new Aer Lingus rule from this month sparks warning

Irish people flying to the UK with Aer Lingus are being warned to check their documents ahead of a major rule change coming into force later this month.

From February 25, 2026, passengers will no longer be allowed to travel between Ireland and the UK using alternative photo ID.

Aer Lingus has confirmed that a passport or Irish Passport Card will be the only documents accepted at check-in and boarding.

The airline said: “All customers travelling on Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional services between Ireland and the UK must present a valid passport or Irish Passport Card at check-in and boarding.

“Other forms of photo ID will no longer be accepted,” it added.

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The change affects Irish and British nationals, and also applies to children under 16, who will now need their own passport or passport card to travel on these routes.

The move is expected to catch out passengers who have long relied on driving licences or Garda age cards for short flights to the UK.

There are some exceptions as the new rules do not apply to Aer Lingus Regional flights between Belfast and other parts of the UK, or to flights between Dublin and Donegal, which are classed as domestic routes.

For those routes, existing photo ID rules remain unchanged.

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Another key change affects non-Irish and non-British nationals travelling from Ireland to the UK. From February 25, they may also need to apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or hold the correct visa.

Aer Lingus explains that passengers who are non-Irish or non-British nationals and who do not already have UK immigration permission will need an ETA to enter the UK.

Aer Lingus said the move is being made “to ensure consistency across our network and further improve our operational performance for our customers”.

With the change coming into force at the end of February, passengers are being urged to double-check their documents in advance, as turning up with the wrong ID could mean being left behind at the airport.