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REAL IDs and flying

jksobonya
Aviator A

Curious to know everyone's stance on REAL IDs, as the rollout process has been ongoing for years and the deadline for compliance keeps getting pushed back. 

 

I remember having REAL IDs on my radar since 2018. Back then, my state (PA) was still not issuing REAL IDs and I was in a panic because they were set to be enforced that October. My passport was also expiring in 2018, and thankfully I got that renewed - and then they pushed back the REAL ID compliance deadline. I forget how many times they pushed it back, but I know October 2020 was another deadline, and because of the pandemic they pushed it to October 2021, and this year they pushed it all the way back to May 2023. 

 

My license expires Dec 2021, so I -finally- got my hands on a REAL ID when I renewed. Feels like it took forever, while some people have probably had them for years and never gave it a second thought. 

 

If you have not gotten a REAL ID yet, do you plan to before the deadline? It's hard to tell how many people have gotten REAL IDs and how many have not or don't care / don't want to pay the extra fees / etc. One of the main reasons I wanted one was due to flying; I don't want to carry my passport around with me on domestic flights if I don't have to. 

 

REAL ID info: 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id 

https://www.tsa.gov/real-id 

 

--Jessica

4 REPLIES 4

Re: REAL IDs and flying

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I suspect the process has been going on so long that most people have received one like you did, when their license was up for renewal.  Another case of things being dragged out so long that it became a big deal about nothing.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: REAL IDs and flying

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

I'm not sure about other states, but we finally have them in Oklahoma, and they are a PITA to get. You need to make a special appointment to do it, and you need to bring multiple documents verifying stuff. If a passport is the best id, shouldn't that be enough to get a real id driver's license?

Re: REAL IDs and flying

jksobonya
Aviator A

@bwallet wrote:

I'm not sure about other states, but we finally have them in Oklahoma, and they are a PITA to get. You need to make a special appointment to do it, and you need to bring multiple documents verifying stuff. If a passport is the best id, shouldn't that be enough to get a real id driver's license?


Oh yeah, I agree. You have to bring several pieces of documentation verifying who you are. When I got my REAL ID and saw that the only thing different about it was the star in the corner, I was like "That's it?" but I think the reason it is so secure is because you have to prove you are who you say you are in a myriad of ways when you apply to get it. 

 

--Jessica

Re: REAL IDs and flying

jksobonya
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

I suspect the process has been going on so long that most people have received one like you did, when their license was up for renewal. 


Could be, but I'm thinking a lot of people are just renewing their normal license and not opting to get a REAL ID, because it costs more and you have to jump through so many hoops documentation-wise to get it. 

 

In early 2020 before things hit the fan, articles were saying that millions of Americans did *not* have REAL IDs yet, only about 3 in 10 did. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/real-id-deadline-us-airports-worried-millions-of-americans-wont-have-re...) I mean I was one of those millions back then, so things could have changed, but I'm doubting it's improved that much. I'm waiting for this to become "an issue" whenever it finally gets implemented. You know there are going to be some people saying "...but I didn't know!!" when they get can't go through TSA to catch their Southwest flight ;D 

 

--Jessica