TSA says those without REAL ID can still fly, though they should expect delays

Air travelers without a REAL ID could still board some commercial flights in the US, but can expect some extra steps that could delay their travel. According to a spokesperson with TSA, it is unclear how long these extra precautions will take. People without a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID are advised to get to the airport much earlier than the recommended two hours.
Posted 5/6/2025, 8:16:00 PM Updated 5/7/2025, 12:58:06 AM

BRINGS US A CHANCE FOR RAIN

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW HERE AT 4

O'CLOCK, YOU'RE TAKING A LIVE

LOOK AT RDU WHERE TRAVELERS ARE

JUST HOURS AWAY FROM THAT REAL

ID DEADLINE TOMORROW. AIRPORTS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL BEGIN

TO ENFORCE THE NEW SECURITY

STANDARDS AND IT'S BEEN 20

YEARS IN THE MAKING. BUT IT'S A

CHANGE THAT MAY NOT BE AS

DRASTIC AS WE THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US. I'M DAN HAGGERTY

AND I'M LENA TILLETT. THAT'S

BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF

HOMELAND SECURITY IS NOW BACK

PEDALING ON THEIR PREVIOUS

STATEMENTS. TRAVELERS WILL NOT

BE DENIED ACCESS TO FLIGHTS IF

THEY DON'T HAVE A REAL ID.

THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO

UNDERSTAND THIS AFTERNOON.

>> WRAL SEAN GALLAGHER IS

JOINING US LIVE AT RDU. SEAN

TSA SAID IT'S GOING TO BE

FLEXIBLE FOR TRAVELERS WHO

DON'T HAVE A REAL ID YET.

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, GUYS.

KIND OF THINK OF TOMORROW AS A

SOFT LAUNCH US ARE GOING TO

START ENFORCING THESE REAL ID

RULES AND LAWS. BUT WITH YOUR

SHOWING UP HERE TOMORROW AND

YOU DON'T HAVE A REAL ID,

REALLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN

ID WHATSOEVER, YOU SHOULD BE

FINE TO FLY THE SKIES.

>> MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL WALK

THROUGH THESE LINES AT RDU THIS

YEAR. THE MAJORITY OF WHICH

WILL HAVE THE GOLD STAR FOR

TRAVEL TO AND YOU HAVE YOUR

REAL ID DO. YES, YOU GUYS HAVE

YOUR REAL. I THINK THAT YOU

HAVE YOUR REAL ID BY ANY

CHANCE. YES. WHEN DID YOU GET

WILDLIFE? AND YES, 2 YEARS, TSA

SAYS 81% OF THE FLYING PUBLIC

HAVE THE PROPER ID TO FLY.

THAT MEANS ABOUT ONE IN 5.

DON'T THE 99%? YEAH. BUT

THEY'LL STILL BE GOOD TO GO

TOMORROW. YOU'LL BE IDENTIFIED

AS NOT WILL BE PULLED.

>> OFF TO THE SIDE AND POSSIBLY

GO THROUGH ADDITIONAL

SCREENING. ANGELES IS TSA'S

READY TO HANDLE THE SMALL

PORTION OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T

READY FOR THE NEW RULES.

EVEN THOSE WITH NO IDEA AT ALL

THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO

ID ON THEM WHATSOEVER.

>> THEIR TIME AND SECURITY

SCREENING WILL BE A LOT LONGER

THAN SOMEONE WHO IS COMING

THROUGH WITH JUST A REGULAR

DRIVER'S LICENSE. THAT IS NOT

REAL ID COMPLIANT. THOSE FOLKS

WILL GET THROUGH FASTER THAN

SOMEONE WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF

DEAL. REALLY, FOR THOSE WHO

DON'T HAVE ONE OF THE FEDERALLY

APPROVED ID'S TO FLY BECAUSE AN

ID THAT WORKS TODAY WON'T

TOMORROW. YES, IT IS REALLY

GOOD TO KNOW THAT I CAN GET

THERE AND I BUT I CAN COME

BACK.

>> SO TSA SAYS EVERY AIRPORT

WILL BE DIFFERENT, THOUGH.

IF YOU HAVEN'T ON REAL ID, MAKE

SURE YOU BUILD IN SOME EXTRA

TIME TO GO THROUGH THE

VERIFICATION PROCESS AND THE

LESS COULDN'T GIVE ME AN

ESTIMATE FOR HOW LONG THAT

TAKES. BUT A VERY REAL

POSSIBILITY THAT IT COULD BE

LONG ENOUGH THAT YOU MAY MISS

YOUR FLIGHT IF YOU COME AT THE

NORMAL TIME. NOW, IF YOU DO

HAVE A REAL ID, DON'T EXPECT

THESE DELAYS TO BOTHER YOU

WHATSOEVER. VELEZ TELLS ME YOU

SHOULD BE ABLE TO FLY THROUGH