As of now, the deadline to have a REAL ID for air travel is October 1st, 2020. However, the Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), the association that represents commercial service airports in the U.S. and Canada, has called for an extension.
Airports Council International says they are concerned that the already low amount of REAL ID-compliant identifications among the traveling public will negatively impact passengers and airport operations.
More than two thirds of driver's licenses and ID cards held by Americans are not REAL ID-compliant, despite Department of Homeland Security data that shows states across the U.S. have issued over 95 million of them thus far.
For this reason, the Airport Council believes millions of passengers may be unable to board their flights when they arrive at airports on Oct. 1.
If the extension does not go through, travelers who do not have REAL IDs will not be allowed to proceed through security checkpoints or board airplanes beginning Oct. 1.
For more information on how to obtain a REAL ID, click here.
