Important information to know before flying: Real ID deadline is May 7

Travelers take note: The federal government says it will start enforcing Real ID requirements at U.S. airports starting May 7 — for real this time.

That means travelers will need a Real ID-compliant license or other accepted form of identification like a passport to get through security before a domestic U.S. flight.

The Transportation Security Administration said 81% of people approaching airport checkpoints already have Real ID-compliant identification, though it varies by state.

Federal and state officials in recent weeks have urged travelers to make appointments at motor vehicle departments to update licenses and other ID cards before the deadline, though availability has become scarce.

“Make your appointments now as quick as possible,” John Essig, the Transportation Security Administration’s federal security director for New York City-area airports, said at a news conference at LaGuardia Airport earlier this month. “We certainly don’t want to hold up anyone without Real ID at the checkpoint,” Essig said.

Signs reminding travelers at U.S. reports to apply for a Real ID have been up for years, though the deadline has been pushed back repeatedly. A TSA officer this week was handing out flyers to travelers with a QR code for Real ID information at LaGuardia Airport.

Airlines have also been reminding travelers of the new requirements through customer emails and other channels. Frontier Airlines has a gray banner running along its website informing travelers of the Real ID requirements.

A Real ID is an identification card, like a driver’s license or state-issued ID, that is compliant with federal rules initiated in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Those hijackers were using state IDs and driver’s licenses, some of which were obtained fraudulently.

In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act, allowing the federal government to set standards for state IDs. It was originally supposed to go into effect in 2008, but has been repeatedly postponed, including during the pandemic.

The ID cards have a gold or black star, or in California, a yellow bear, on the top right.

“If the card does not have one of these markings, it is not REAL ID-compliant and won’t be accepted as proof of identity in order to board commercial aircraft,” the Department of Homeland Security said.

Travelers 18 or over need the ID, or another form of accepted ID, for U.S. domestic flights.

If you can’t get a Real ID by May 7, there are options.

The TSA says you can use a U.S. passport; a permanent resident card, also known as a green card; or a trusted traveler ID, like a Global Entry card, and others.

No. But you can opt for an “enhanced ID” that is also Real ID compliant, which you can use to travel to Mexico and Canada.

The TSA says that the deadline is legitimate and that travelers without a Real ID or other accepted document could experience delays when going through security because it will take longer to verify their identity.

They could face “additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” the TSA said in a news release on Friday.

The agency recommends travelers arrive at least three hours before domestic flights if they don’t have Real ID or an alternative.

“Identity verification is a lynchpin in security and we will make sure that passengers are verified as being who they say they are before they can go beyond the checkpoint,” said spokesman Carter Langston.