TSA Warns Travelers to Brace for Delays as REAL ID Deadline Approaches

Heads up, travelers: the deadline for getting your REAL ID is right around the corner, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is sounding the alarm: expect some serious delays if you show up at the airport unprepared.

The TSA reminded everyone that starting May 7, you will need a REAL ID (or another accepted ID, like a passport) to get through security at domestic airports. No REAL ID? You might find yourself stuck in a longer screening process—or worse, turned away at the checkpoint. That’s definitely not the kind of drama you want before a vacation.

According to TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers, about 81% of Americans are ready for the new rules, but that still leaves 19% who are not. In travel terms, that’s a whole lot of people who might be scrambling at the last minute. Dankers suggests, "If you do the math, the reasonable response would be to arrive early." Translation: pack your patience, and maybe a snack.

The delay you experience will depend on how many people in front of you didn’t get the memo (or the right ID). Each additional check, or the time it takes to call over a TSA staff member, adds up fast—especially at busy airports. Travel expert Gary Leff points out that even an extra 10 seconds per unprepared passenger could become a significant bottleneck. Multiply that by thousands, and you get the picture: airport security lines could look like the world’s slowest-moving parade.

Bottom line: get your REAL ID sorted now if you haven’t already. The clock is ticking, and the last thing anyone wants is to miss a flight because of paperwork.