Airline is ‘working on a solution’ to accept EU national ID cards for online check-in, it says
“Aer Lingus is working on a solution that will allow customers to use EU national ID cards or Irish passport cards as travel documents when checking-in online (for travel to a destination that accepts them),” the airline said.
“This is expected to be enabled by the end of this year.”
Irish passport cards are available to all citizens who hold a valid passport book. They remain valid for five years, or to the expiry date of the passport book.
They are valid for travel to all EU member states, according to the Dept of Foreign Affairs – as well as to members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), Switzerland and the UK.
The cards are widely accepted throughout Europe, and Ryanair allows Irish citizens to check in online using passport cards for travel within the EU, the EEA, Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro and the UK.
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Passengers do not need passports or ID cards when booking a flight, but such travel documents are required when it comes to check-in.
Aer Lingus does accept Irish passport cards for airport check-in (without an extra cost), and agents assisting with self-service check-in can also process passport cards using their iPhone or iPads equipped with check-in functionality.
Its current systems do not support the card for identity verification with online check-in, however.
Customers can of course check in online using their passport books.
“The document used for online check-in should be the same document used during travel,” it added.
Aer Lingus cabin crew members Amy Casey and Lauryn Hamilton celebrating new routes. Photo: Naoise Culhane
This month, Aer Lingus reported an operating profit of €135m for the second quarter of 2025, up almost 50pc on the same time last year.
It has recently announced new winter routes including Cancun in Mexico and Tromsø in Norway, and unveiled a major refresh of its mobile app.
The refresh is part of “an extensive upgrade programme designed to transform the digital travel experience for its customers” it said, and includes live flight status, and a redesigned home screen and My Trips section.
“These improvements reflect our ongoing investment in digital innovation and our belief that technology plays a central role in creating the best possible travel experience,” said Susanne Carberry, Chief Customer Officer at Aer Lingus.
The app does not yet accept the Irish passport card or EU national ID cards for online check-in, however. That is also expected later this year.