Travel Tips

Mark Your Calendars – REAL ID Deadline is 1 Year Away

May 07, 2024

Attention all travelers – Did you know one year from today you’ll be required to have a REAL ID to fly in the U.S.?

Effective May 7, 2025, all travelers must have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or other approved identification to pass through security checkpoints at airports.

Passengers who do not have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license by May 7, 2025, nor another acceptable form of ID, will not be allowed to pass through TSA checkpoints – even for domestic flights.

For information on how to obtain a REAL ID, visit RealIDFacts.org.

What’s a REAL ID?

In 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act – establishing minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. These standards include “incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be,” according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

U.S. airlines have been working closely with DHS and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to keep passengers safe. A4A encourages all travelers to visit RealIDFacts.org to see how to obtain a REAL ID and what other forms of identification meet REAL ID security requirements.