TSA and San Antonio Airport urge travelers to get REAL ID-compliant licenses before May 7 for domestic flights.
SAN ANTONIO — The Transportation Security Administration and the San Antonio International Airport held a news conference Tuesday to talk about the upcoming REAL ID deadline.
Officials say any U.S. resident who plans to board an airplane for a domestic flight will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license by May 7. If the license is not compliant, they need another form of identification such as a passport to board their flight. This also applies anyone over the age of 18 and applies to any secure federal facility or military base.
The REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card will have a small star in the upper right corner of the card to indicate it meets the security standards.
If you do not currently have a gold star on your ID, you can request one on your next renewal or you can ask for a replacement card. TSA officials say that process can take time, which is why they are getting the word out ahead of the May 7 deadline.
“Most offices require an appointment or a wait time. So it is not an immediate process where you are going to be able to walk in and get your document that same day,” Patricia Mancha, TSA media spokesperson, said.
Mancha said the new rules are a result of the 9/11 Commission recommendations and had been delayed several times due to many factors.
“This is part of secure flight and making sure the traveller and the person who presents the ID is the same person,” Mancha said. “If we cannot verify a person’s identity, they will not be allowed in the secure checkpoint.”
For international travellers, Mancha says the same documents they used to lawfully enter the United States are the same documents they will use to enter the secure checkpoint.