Government says to expect delays at it cracks down on plane access

The TSA told travelers that they can 'expect to face delays.'

Apr 22, 2025 - 21:45

Government says to expect delays at it cracks down on plane access

Stemming from the Real ID Act that former President George W. Bush passed in May 2005, the federally compliant form of identification is already the default issued by some states when residents apply for a new driver's license.

In others, a Real ID is one of two options — the latter takes more documentation to obtain, as it requires separate proof of both status in the U.S. and state residency. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Bush's goal was to create a uniform standard of identification for boarding a flight in the U.S.

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Does your ID have a red star? You'll need one to fly after May 7

But in practice, getting millions of people across the U.S. to apply for a new ID has come with many challenges and complications. A 2008 deadline to have a Real ID document to fly was later pushed back to 2011 and then 2015, 2018, and 2020. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it became necessary to keep pushing it back further.

Under the new Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has insisted that the May 7, 2025 deadline set in 2024 is a hard one — anyone who does not get a driver's license or other form of state-issued identification with a red star by then will only be able to board a domestic flight with a passport.

"REAL ID-compliant cards will have a star marking on the upper top portion of the card," the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) states on its website. "If the card does not have a star marking, it is not REAL ID-compliant and won't be accepted as proof of identity to board commercial aircraft."

TSA released estimates showing that approximately 20% of Americans do not have a form of identification other than a non-compliant state driver's license or ID. With the new standard now just two weeks away, it is warning of likely airport delays as TSA agents will need to take additional time to explain the new standard and turn away those who do not meet it.

Travelers pass through security screening at an American airport.
Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Some passengers face 'possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint'

Those traveling through U.S. airports in recent weeks reported getting handed paper notices reminding them of the Real ID deadline.

"Once enforcement begins, passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID-compliant and who do not have another acceptable form of photo identification can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint, if their identity cannot be verified," the government agency writes in a separate statement.

More on travel:

When the real ID deadline was once again pushed back last year, multiple officials have warned that any efforts to institute a hard deadline would cause severe disruptions at airports across the country as travelers have come to expect non-enforcement after years of delays.

While the Trump administration has been standing firm on the deadline so far, some are continuing to speculate that a further pushback to 2027 will be made at the very last minute.