Travel is changing. Alongside new requirements—from ETIAS to the UK ETA—to keep your international travel running smoothly, the US is set to introduce a new player into the game to shake up domestic travel. Enter REAL ID. This new standard for identification will make it impossible to travel by air without a REAL ID-compliant license/ID. So, if you’ve got questions about what REAL ID is and how it will change travel, here’s everything you need to know about REAL ID to continue flying in 2025 and beyond.
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Table of Contents
- What Is a REAL ID?
- Do I Need a REAL ID to Fly?
- What If I Don’t Have a REAL ID? Can I Still Fly?
- How Will REAL ID Change the Way I Travel?
- What Do I Need To Get It: The REAL ID Checklist
- REAL ID vs Enhanced ID: What’s the Difference?
- Travel with REAL ID. Travel Farther with Next Vacay.
What Is a REAL ID?
A REAL ID is a form of identification just like any other state ID or driver’s license, with one notable exception: it’s federally compliant. And for that reason, it requires additional documentation to get it. This new standard stems from the REAL ID Act established after 9/11 when the government set new security standards for obtaining state-issued licenses and ID cards. The aim is to improve security by setting minimum standards and ensuring REAL IDs cannot be tampered with or obtained fraudulently. So beginning May 7, 2025, federal agencies will be prohibited from accepting photo IDs that do not meet the standards set by the REAL ID Act.
Do I Need a REAL ID to Fly?
So, you know what a REAL ID is. Now comes the question on everyone’s minds: “Do I need a REAL ID to fly?” And the answer is yes. Starting this year, all travelers will need a REAL ID to fly domestically. After May 6, 2025, travelers without a REAL ID-compliant identification card will not be allowed to board their flight.
Not sure if you already have a REAL ID? Look for the star! All REAL IDs are identifiable by a black or gold star in the upper right-hand corner of the ID card.
What If I Don’t Have a REAL ID? Can I Still Fly?
After May 6, 2025, a REAL ID will be required to fly on all federally regulated commercial flights. But what if you don’t have a REAL ID? You can still fly with another form of identification if it is REAL-ID compliant. The TSA provides a list of alternatives to REAL ID that you can use to fly (click here for the full list):
- US passport
- US passport card
- Enhanced Driver’s License
- Trusted Traveler Card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- Permanent resident card
- Enhanced Tribal Cards
TSA accepts expired IDs for up to a year after the expiration date listed. If you show up at the airport to travel without a REAL ID or other federally-compliant ID, you may still be able to fly by completing an identity verification process. Once your identity is confirmed by a TSA officer—through your name, address, etc.—you’ll move to the screening checkpoint to go through additional screening. It’s recommended that you arrive early, at least three hours before your flight, if you do not have an accepted form of identification.
How Will REAL ID Change the Way I Travel?
How you travel won’t change drastically with the introduction of REAL IDs. If you’ve already updated to a REAL ID, you won’t have to change a thing! But if you have upcoming travel planned, it’s important to know what you will, and won’t, need for your next getaway.
Domestically
Beginning May 7, 2025, you cannot board a flight without a REAL ID. If you don’t have one, you can use an alternative form of ID, such as a passport, but you will no longer be able to use a non-federally compliant ID to travel.
Internationally
International travel remains largely unchanged. You’ll still need a passport to fly internationally, but you won’t necessarily need a REAL ID. If you plan to rent a car at your destination, you will need to take a driver’s license, though this can be a regular license, enhanced license, or REAL ID.
What Do I Need To Get It: The REAL ID Checklist
So, what do you need for a REAL ID? Getting a REAL ID isn’t difficult, but it requires more documentation than a regular driver’s license. Real ID requirements differ by state, so you’ll want to find out your state requirements ahead of time. While each state is different, you can expect to be asked to provide the following documents:
- Proof of identity (1)
- SSN
- Proof of residence (2)
- Name/gender/birth date change (if applicable)
Depending on your state, you may also need to provide a written signature or other documentation. Use your state’s REAL ID checklist to ensure you don’t forget anything you need to upgrade to a REAL ID successfully.
REAL ID vs Enhanced ID: What’s the Difference?
REAL IDs are not the only form of identification available to travelers. You may have heard of an Enhanced ID and wondered if this differs from a REAL ID. It does.
Enhanced ID Licenses, EDLs, are state-issued, federally compliant forms of ID that contain radio frequency identification (RFID) chips for automatic identification purposes. In function, these IDs are more similar to passport cards than REAL IDs, as they allow for international travel by land and sea, though not by air. In contrast, REAL IDs can only be used for international travel in conjunction with another form of identification, such as a passport or passport card, whether the international travel is by land, sea, or air.
Another difference between the two IDs is availability. While REAL IDs are available in every state, currently, only five states offer EDLs:
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Vermont
- Washington
Despite these differences, the two cards do share some similarities. For example, neither can be used to board an international flight without presenting a passport. However, travelers can use either ID to board a domestic flight without presenting another form of identification.
Travel with REAL ID. Travel Farther with Next Vacay.
With a REAL ID, US travelers can continue exploring the beauty of the United States, from breathtaking national parks to West Coast wine regions and more. But if you’re ready to travel further, there’s Next Vacay. With deals delivered directly to your inbox, you can take advantage of flights to cities all over the globe, from New York to Paris and beyond.
The world awaits. Explore the US with a REAL ID. Explore the globe with a passport. And explore them both with Next Vacay.
