The U.S. Travel Association praised the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to postpone Real ID compliance from May 3, 2023 to May 7, 2025.

Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy, said that extending the deadline is the right decision and that U.S. Travel appreciates DHS leadership for recognizing that with more than 100 million Americans still lacking a real ID, “now is not the time to create significant travel disruptions.” This delay, said Barnes, gives travelers the time necessary to get the credential needed to fly domestically.

It remains critical, said Barnes, that DHS identify ways to modernize identification standards to make the entire travel process more efficient. She said U.S. Travel will continue working with its partners in the travel industry and DHS to advance these solutions and get the travel public fully prepared for the implementation of the Real ID Act in 2025.
The Real ID Act was passed in 2005, and all states and four of the five US territories are issuing compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards. The pandemic already has pushed back the original deadline, which had been set for Oct. 1, 2020.

Image: Department of Homeland Security Seal/Mark Van Scyoc/Shutterstock