We went through security at airports across the country on Day 1 of Real ID: What you can expect
Kathy Williams had May 7 circled on her calendar: It was the day she’d scheduled a flight. It was also the day the Transportation Security Administration’s stricter new ID rules were set to take effect.
Months went by with no luck getting her Real ID.
“You couldn’t get an appointment," Williams said. “It didn’t matter what county or what city.”
In a “very stressful” turn of events, she finally got a temporary paper license Tuesday — less than 24 hours before her trip.
It’s a time crunch an untold number of Americans faced in recent weeks, packing DMVs in all 50 states ahead of Wednesday, when the TSA began requiring airline passengers presenting a driver's license as their ID to have one that meets a more stringent federal standard.
That change, predicted for months to cause delays at security checkpoints, seemed to start as well as travelers could have expected — that is, based on my experience, and those of several other TPG staffers who fanned out to more than a half dozen airports across the country Wednesday.
What we found at airports on Day 1 of Real ID enforcement
Arriving at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) on Wednesday, I immediately saw airport representatives standing in front of the standard checkpoint lanes holding signs, reminding passengers that they’d need a Real ID — or another acceptable document.
I brought my passport, since the TSA said that should still get travelers through security without a hitch.
Indeed, mine did — in 75 seconds, no less, on an admittedly quiet morning at the airport.
Farther to the north, TPG aviation contributor Edward Russell reported he “spent more time chatting with the TSA agents than waiting” at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
At nearby Dulles International Airport (IAD), it took TPG credit cards writer Stephanie Stevens 12 minutes to get through the standard security line.
"I didn't notice many delays, but I saw many people with passports in hand," Stevens reported. "There was a noticeable increase in the number of airport officials and TSA throughout security."
Some TPG staffers didn't have a Real ID
Even colleagues without a Real ID didn’t face an overly arduous wait.
TPG’s Maggie Moran, a TSA PreCheck member, was booked on a Southwest Airlines flight out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
“I was diverted to a different line that was separate from regular security and was given a red slip that said my ID was noncompliant,” Moran said. There, she had to remove her shoes and laptop from her bag — something PreCheck members normally don't have to do — but she was still through the checkpoint just three minutes after she got in line.
“No one verbally said anything to me about Real ID,” Moran noted.
TPG managing editor Madison Blancaflor, who also doesn’t yet have a Real ID, passed seamlessly through security across the Hudson River at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) using the expedited Clear service.
Read more: 8 ways to get free or discounted TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear
“I didn't experience a difference today versus any other day at the airport,” Blancaflor said. “They didn't ask for my ID at Clear, so not having a Real ID wasn't an issue.”
TSA predicted smooth launch
To its credit, TSA officials I spoke with last week had remained hopeful that the start of Real ID enforcement would go off without a hitch. After all, the agency had 20 years to prepare for the deadline, after Congress first ordered the stricter ID rules for air travel in 2005, following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission.
“I don’t think we’re going to have much of an operational impact come May 7,” TSA Southeast spokesperson Mark Howell told me Friday.
But fears of long wait times remained
Still, uncertainty loomed after the agency postponed the start of the tougher ID rules multiple times over the past five years — moves that underscored what a dramatic shift it could be in getting 50 different states’ licenses up to a common standard.
Delta Air Lines this week told me it would be prepared to rebook customers who missed flights because of extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis (which presumably would include cases where extreme TSA lines caused customers to miss flights en masse).
And as recently as last month, United Airlines' Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella openly rooted for the TSA to again postpone the start of enforcement — something the agency did multiple times earlier this decade.
“Hopefully everybody’s prepared,” Nocella said on the company’s April 16 earnings call. “I kind of hope that date gets extended once again, and I’ll hope the same thing when it happens again."
But as the peak morning travel period came and went Wednesday, I checked the TSA’s app – which live-tracks checkpoint delays — and found few examples of longer-than-usual wait times.
“Things are going smoothly here ... with the majority of travelers in compliance,” TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein shared from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
I flew to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), where American Airlines representatives inside Terminal 3 prescreened passengers entering the checkpoint to see if they had the right documentation.
Those that didn't (I only saw two) weren't barred from flying — they just got sent to a separate checkpoint.
That’s consistent with what Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told Congress Tuesday: “They may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly.”
For her part, Williams on Wednesday morning brought both her temporary paper ID card and her older, hard (non-Real ID) card.
“I had to present both of them,” she told me, just beyond security at RDU, feeling relieved about how the whole process went.
“Like five minutes,” she said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
TPG reader Larry Kaplan told us that his travel through Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) was "actually quieter than usual." He suspects TSA brought in extra agents to help manage the rollout.
Still reason to be cautious
Day 1 wasn’t a perfect test case for how smooth things will ultimately run during the early days of Real ID enforcement. Wednesdays are routinely among the lightest days of the week for air travel.
How wait times hold up this Friday and Sunday will loom large — as will Memorial Day weekend, travel for which ramps up in just over two weeks, marking the unofficial start to the summer rush at airports.
So for now, we'd recommend getting to the airport a little earlier than you normally would — especially if you're at all unsure about whether you have a form of ID that's compliant.
Related reading:
- Real ID vs. driver's license: Everything you need to know
- Best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
- Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is more beneficial?
- Travelers can now enroll in TSA PreCheck via Clear at 13 US airports
- 8 ways to get free or discounted TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear
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- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.