
The Ultimate Real ID Checklist: How to Be Ready Before the 2025 Air Travel Deadline
Starting May 7, 2025, all U.S. travelers 18 and older will need a Real ID-compliant driver's license or another acceptable form of identification to board domestic flights. This federal requirement stems from the Real ID Act passed in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation to establish minimum security standards for state-issued identification documents.