You do not need a passport to fly within South Africa, but you do need identification — and every passenger needs their own, including infants. Present nothing and you are denied boarding, with no refund and no exception. The catch is that the five domestic carriers do not publish the same list. A certified copy that FlySafair waves through is treated far more narrowly by SAA. A medical aid card that Airlink accepts is not on anyone else's list. This guide sets the policies side by side so you know what to put in your bag.
Jump to
- Quick comparison — all five airlines
- Can you fly on a driver's licence?
- Certified copies — where the airlines split
- Digital documents on your phone
- FlySafair
- Lift
- Airlink — the widest list
- SAA — the strictest list
- CemAir — what is published
- Children, teenagers and infants
- Lost, stolen or no ID at all
- Frequently asked questions
Quick comparison — accepted ID at domestic check-in
Every carrier below accepts an original green ID book, an original South African ID card and a valid passport. The table covers the documents where they differ.
| Document | FlySafair | Lift | Airlink | SAA | CemAir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA driver's licence | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not published |
| Certified copy of ID or licence (≤3 months) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only if original lost or stolen | Not published |
| Copy of a passport | Original or certified copy | No copies — original only | Original | Only if original lost or stolen | Not published |
| Foreign photo ID or foreign licence | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not published |
| Proof of medical aid | No | No | Yes — card or app | No | Not published |
| Refugee identity document | Via asylum / IOM papers | Via asylum / IOM papers | Via asylum / IOM papers | Listed by name | Not published |
| Temporary ID + affidavit (≤3 months) | Yes | Yes — original only | Yes | Affidavit route for lost documents | Not published |
| Digital document on a phone | Birth certificate only | No — SACAA rules cited | Medical aid app permitted | No | Not published |
| Expired document | Not listed | Passport ≤3 months expired (support guidance) | Not listed | Not allowed | Not published |
Can you fly on a driver's licence?
Yes — this is the most common question South African travellers ask, and the answer is the same across FlySafair, Lift, Airlink and SAA. A valid South African national driver's licence is an accepted travel document for domestic flights. Three conditions catch people out:
- It must be valid for your travel dates. An expired card is not identification, and licence renewal backlogs mean plenty of South Africans are carrying one without realising.
- It must be the physical card. A photo of it does not count on any carrier.
- The name must match the booking. If you booked under a maiden name or a shortened first name, the counter agent has grounds to refuse.
FlySafair, Lift and Airlink additionally accept a physical certified copy of the licence certified within the last three months. SAA does not treat a certified copy as a routine alternative.
Certified copies — where the airlines split
This is the single biggest difference between the carriers, and it catches people who assume a certified copy is universally fine.
FlySafair, Lift and Airlink all accept a physical certified copy of a green ID book, ID card or driver's licence, provided the certification stamp is no older than three months. That means a trip to a police station or Post Office is a genuine fix if your original is at Home Affairs.
Lift draws a line at passports and temporary IDs. Its policy accepts certified copies of ID books, ID cards and licences, but requires passports and temporary identification documents to be presented as originals with no copies accepted.
SAA is the outlier. Its domestic list is short — government issued identity card, passport, refugee identity document, South African driver's licence — and it frames an affidavit or certified copy no older than three months as something that may be accepted in the event of a lost or stolen document, not as a standing alternative to carrying the original.
Digital documents on your phone
Do not rely on them. Lift states that digital copies of any form of identification are not accepted, and cites SACAA regulations as the reason. SAA states that digital or electronic documents on a smartphone, tablet or laptop are not accepted.
There are two narrow exceptions worth knowing. FlySafair lists a digital copy of a birth certificate among the accepted documents for under-18s. Airlink accepts proof of medical aid presented in an app, provided it clearly displays the name and date of birth or identity number.
Everything else — an ID photo in your gallery, a scan in your email, a PDF in cloud storage — will not get you through the counter.
FlySafair
FlySafair publishes one of the more accommodating lists. Accepted for domestic travel:
- South African green ID book, or a certified copy no older than three months
- South African ID card, or a physical certified copy no older than three months
- Valid South African driver's licence, or a physical certified copy no older than three months
- Valid international or national passport, including emergency and temporary travel documents such as asylum, Red Cross or IOM papers
- Original birth certificate (abridged or unabridged), a digital copy of the birth certificate, or a physically certified copy no older than three months — not accepted for anyone aged 18 or over
- Temporary identification documents, accompanied by an affidavit no older than three months
See our FlySafair check-in guide for counter cut-offs and boarding pass rules.
Lift
Lift's list is similar on paper but stricter on copies:
- Original green ID book, or a physical certified copy no older than three months
- Original South African ID card, or a physical certified copy no older than three months
- Original valid South African driver's licence, or a physical certified copy no older than three months
- Original valid international or South African passport, including emergency and temporary travel documents — no copies accepted
- Original birth certificate, or a certified copy no older than three months — not accepted for anyone 18 or over
- Original temporary identification document with an affidavit no older than three months — no copies accepted
Lift states explicitly that digital copies of any form of identification are not accepted, and that failure to present identification for each passenger results in denied boarding. See our Lift check-in guide.
Airlink — the widest list
If your documentation is unusual, Airlink is the carrier most likely to accept it. Beyond the standard ID book, ID card, driver's licence and passport, Airlink accepts:
- A valid government-issued foreign photo ID card, or a valid government-issued foreign driver's licence — useful for visitors and foreign nationals resident in South Africa
- Emergency and temporary travel documents including asylum, Red Cross and IOM papers
- Temporary identification documents with an affidavit no older than three months
- Proof of medical aid, on a card or in the app, provided it clearly shows the name and date of birth or identity number. A certified copy of the medical aid card no older than three months is also permitted.
The medical aid provision is unique among South African carriers and is worth remembering if your ID is at Home Affairs. See our Airlink check-in guide.
SAA — the strictest list
For domestic travel, passengers aged 18 and over must hold one of the following:
- Government issued identity card
- Passport
- Refugee identity document
- South African issued driver's licence
Birth certificates cover children under 18. SAA adds three conditions the other carriers do not state as bluntly: expired documentation is not allowed; digital or electronic documents on a phone, tablet or laptop are not accepted; and an affidavit or certified copy no older than three months may be accepted in the event of a lost or stolen document. SAA also asks that you present the same document at check-in, security and boarding. See our SAA check-in guide.
CemAir — what is published
CemAir does not publish a standalone list of accepted domestic identification documents in the way the other four carriers do. Its travel information covers areas such as unaccompanied minors — where the accompanying adult must present photo identification and contact details — and connection timings, but not a full document list.
Until that changes, the safe approach on CemAir is an original green ID book, ID card or valid passport. If you intend to travel on a certified copy, a temporary ID or anything else out of the ordinary, phone CemAir reservations and get the answer before you go to the airport. CemAir serves several routes where it is the only operator, so being turned away is not a case of catching the next flight. See our CemAir check-in guide.
Children, teenagers and infants
Every passenger on the booking needs identification, and that includes a lap infant. For under-18s the accepted documents are generally an original birth certificate — abridged or unabridged — or a physical certified copy no older than three months, a green ID book or ID card, or a valid passport. FlySafair additionally lists a digital copy of a birth certificate for this age group.
Birth certificates stop working the day the passenger turns 18. Every carrier states that birth certificates are not accepted for anyone aged 18 or over, which catches families whose teenager has never held an ID card.
Where an adult travels domestically with a child who is not their biological or adopted child, Lift requires an original birth certificate or a certified copy no older than three months in addition to the adult's own ID. If your child is flying alone, see our unaccompanied minors guide, and for travelling as a family see flying with children in South Africa.
Lost, stolen or no ID at all
There is no paid identity-verification service at South African airports comparable to the schemes some overseas security agencies run. If you arrive with nothing, you do not fly.
If your document has been lost or stolen, the routes that exist are:
- An affidavit plus a certified copy. SAA names this as the circumstance in which an affidavit or certified copy no older than three months may be accepted. Do the affidavit at a police station, not the night before.
- A temporary identification document. Issued by Home Affairs, and accepted by FlySafair, Lift and Airlink when accompanied by an affidavit no older than three months. Lift requires the original with no copies.
- A different document you already hold. A valid driver's licence or passport solves the problem outright on all four carriers that publish a list.
- Move the flight. Cheaper than a denied boarding, which forfeits the fare entirely. If a change fee is unavoidable, see our guide on changing or cancelling a flight in South Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly domestically in South Africa with a driver's licence?
Yes, on most airlines. FlySafair, Lift, Airlink and SAA all list a valid South African driver's licence as an accepted form of identification for domestic travel. FlySafair, Lift and Airlink also accept a physical certified copy of the licence that is no older than three months. The licence must be valid — not expired — for the dates you are travelling.
Is a certified copy of my ID accepted at domestic check-in?
It depends on the airline and the document. FlySafair, Lift and Airlink accept a physical certified copy of a green ID book, ID card or driver's licence provided the certification is no older than three months. Lift does not accept copies of passports or temporary identification documents at all — those must be originals. SAA is the strictest: it treats an affidavit or certified copy as something that may be accepted only where the original document has been lost or stolen, rather than as a routine substitute.
Can I use a photo of my ID on my phone?
No. Lift states that digital copies of any form of identification are not accepted, citing SACAA regulations, and SAA states that digital or electronic documents on a smartphone, tablet or laptop are not accepted. Bring the physical document. The one narrow exception is FlySafair, which lists a digital copy of a birth certificate among accepted documents for passengers under 18.
Does an expired passport work for a domestic flight?
Not on SAA, which states plainly that expired documentation will not be allowed. Lift's support guidance has indicated that an original passport expired by no more than three months may be accepted, with no copies permitted. Because this is an edge case that airport staff apply strictly, phone the airline before you travel rather than relying on it.
What if I have no ID at all on the day of the flight?
You will be denied boarding. Every South African domestic carrier states that failure to present identification for each passenger — including minors and infants — results in denied boarding. There is no fee-based workaround in South Africa equivalent to the identity-verification service some overseas security agencies offer. If your document is lost or stolen, your realistic options are an affidavit plus certified copy (accepted by SAA in exactly that circumstance), a temporary identification document with an affidavit no older than three months, or moving your flight.
Which airline accepts the widest range of documents?
Airlink. In addition to the usual ID book, ID card, driver's licence and passport, Airlink accepts a valid government-issued foreign photo ID card or foreign driver's licence, and it is the only major South African carrier that accepts proof of medical aid — on a card or in the app — provided it clearly shows the name and date of birth or identity number.
Do children need their own ID for a domestic flight?
Yes. Identification must be presented for every passenger, including infants. For under-18s the accepted documents are typically an original birth certificate (abridged or unabridged) or a certified copy no older than three months, a green ID book or ID card, or a valid passport. Birth certificates are not accepted for anyone aged 18 or over.
Does CemAir have different ID requirements?
CemAir does not publish a standalone list of accepted domestic identification documents on its public travel information pages in the way the other four carriers do. Its published guidance covers areas such as unaccompanied minors, where the accompanying adult must present photo identification. Until CemAir publishes a full list, carry an original green ID book, ID card or valid passport, and confirm with CemAir reservations if you plan to travel on anything else.