Real ID card? You can still fly – but be aware.

The actual ID deadline begins Wednesday (May 7), and although DHS officials say people without a new ID card can still board the plane but need to arrive at the airport earlier.

During a congressional hearing on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said non-compliant travelers who do not meet ID will face other security procedures at U.S. airports, including potential transfers to additional lines. this New York Times The report said TSA officials recently responded to the statement on Reddit, saying that flyers without real ID cards should arrive at the airport one hour earlier than originally planned.

The real ID deadline arrived nearly 20 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The demands for having a real ID to fly at home are expanding, but ultimately they are placed on the stone by President Biden, and the Trump administration keeps that date in May 2025.

For decades, Americans were able to fly domestically using only a state-issued driver’s license, but the real ID of the Star-style requires more identity confirmation, including documents that verify addresses and social security numbers. Each state has different rules on how to turn its status ID or driver’s license into a federally compatible real ID. For example, California requires travelers to fill out an online application, upload necessary documents (e.g., passport and birth certificate, used for personal ID and utility bills to prove California residency), provide a social security number, and then visit the Motor Vehicle Office – with a hard copy of the files you have uploaded, and then post the real ID.

American travelers without a real ID can still fly domestically without additional security, having a U.S. passport, permanent resident card, global entrance card or Department of Defense ID.