Have a REAL ID? If not, prepare for travel delays, MAC says.
In about a month, Minnesotans who do not have a REAL ID could face extra screening and air travel delays, the Metropolitan Airports Commission says.
Beginning May 7, the REAL ID Act will be enforced nationally and the Transportation Security Administration is encouraging travelers to obtain their REAL ID or prepare for delays, according to the Airports Commission, which owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
'Now is the time for anyone age 18 years and older who plans to travel after May 7 to ensure they have an acceptable form of identification once REAL ID enforcement begins,' said TSA Minnesota Federal Security Director Marty Robinson, in a news release.
Passed in 2005, the REAL ID Act is intended to enhance security standards for states to issue driver's licenses and ID cards that are accepted by federal agencies. Minnesota began issuing REAL IDs on Oct. 1, 2018.
The current processing time for a Minnesota REAL ID driver's license or Minnesota enhanced driver's license, which is also compliant with the new REAL ID Act, is about 45 days from application, according to the release.
'We want to make sure everyone can enjoy their travel plans this summer and beyond,' said Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services Director Pong Xiong in the release. 'Minnesotans who want a REAL ID should allow enough time to have their card in hand before needing to board a plane.'
As of April 1, fewer than half – 40.82% – of Minnesotans had a REAL ID, according to the DVS.
To apply for a REAL ID, you must know your Social Security number and provide documentation that proves your identity, date of birth, legal U.S. presence and current Minnesota residency. Most commonly, Minnesotans provide a birth certificate, bank statement and utility bill.
For a Class D REAL ID-compliant license, expect to pay $46, or $41 if you're renewing, according to the DVS. To renew to a REAL ID-compliant identification card, those 65 and older should expect to pay $27.
If you decide not to get a REAL ID, you can still pass through airport security with your driver's license, passport and boarding pass, according to Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. If you do not have a passport, you can find alternative accepted documentation at http://pipr.es/kz6RGfi.
For more information on TSA airport security screening requirements, visit tsa.gov/travel.
Passenger flight to MSP and Air Force jet diverted from potential collision at DC airport
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport upgrading snow removal equipment
FBI: Hoax by two young children responsible for diverted Sun Country flight to Mexico
MSP Sun Country Airlines flight diverted, no threat found
Passenger from Minnesota files lawsuit after Delta crash in Toronto
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
TSA Ban Costco Cards As Travel ID
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has taken to social media to clear up confusion over what counts as REAL ID, following the implementation of the act last month. The TSA took to Facebook to make clear that Costco cards do not count. In a post to Facebook, TSA wrote "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not." A woman displays her Costco card in order to enter after waiting in a line that snaked around a Costco store in Novato, California on March 14, 2020. A woman displays her Costco card in order to enter after waiting in a line that snaked around a Costco store in Novato, California on March 14, 2020. JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images Twenty years after it was first proposed, REAL ID has been implemented, meaning that Americans and permanent residents will only be able to pass through airport security or enter some federal government buildings if they have a REAL ID, or another valid form of identification, such as a passport or Enhanced Driver's Licenses and identification cards (EDL/EID) issued in the following states: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington. Costco cards never counted as a REAL ID, and you were never able to travel on one. This story will be updated.
New York Times
19 hours ago
- New York Times
Your Costco Membership Card? No, It Is Not a Replacement for Real ID.
The membership card that gets you a $1.50 hot dog combo meal will not, in fact, get you past Transportation Security Administration agents. That's what airport security officials are reminding travelers as some forget the details for Real ID, which require passengers navigating through airport security checkpoints to present a federally compliant, security-enhanced, star- or flag-emblazoned form of identification. And that big gold star on Costco cards does not count. 'Can't fly on hot dogs and hope,' the T.S.A. posted across its social media accounts on Wednesday. 'Your Costco Gold Star Membership card might score you a 48-pack of TP, magical rotisserie chicken and a hot dog and soda that defies inflation, but it won't get you through a TSA checkpoint.' While the T.S.A. is known to have a sense of humor online (the agency's Instagram handle is @tsa, but the name is Travel Tips & Dad Joke Hits 🎶), the post was meant as a genuine reminder to those who think the membership card could be a true replacement for a government-issued identification. Every few months, a Reddit thread points travelers to this tip: If you end up at the airport without a proper ID, try your Costco card instead. 'That's the realest ID,' someone commented. 'It's got the gold star they want to see,' another said. Some posts make it sound easy: Get through security with the same card that gets you bulk-size deals. On May 25, the food site Chowhound picked up a thread that ran that advice under the promising headline 'How Your Costco Card Can Save You at the Airport.' On June 3, the article was updated to include a disclosure: The T.S.A. does not explicitly state that a Costco card can be used as a form of identification. With new Real ID requirements, using your membership card on its own is not going to get you through security. There is no Kirkland special at the airport. However, because Costco membership cards include your photo and name, it may help T.S.A. agents confirm your identity if you have no other form of identification. Still, it is not a replacement for a government-issued form of identification. T.S.A. agents would most likely have to take additional measures to confirm your identity, and you could be pulled aside for additional screening. If you are about to travel and you don't have a Real ID, you can get through airport security with a state-issued enhanced driver's license, a permanent resident card (also known as a green card), a valid passport, a passport card or identification for trusted traveler programs like Global Entry and NEXUS. But don't leave your Costco card at home. The big-box store has hundreds of locations around the world, and they all take the same membership card.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
TSA Just Banned Costco Cards at Airport Security
Since May 7, 2025, travelers have needed a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state ID to board domestic flights. And now, TSA is putting its foot down, telling travelers that their Costco cards do not count as a valid form of ID to travel with. TSA posted the following message on Facebook: "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not." Several people flocked to the comments section of the Facebook post, writing things like, "I mean at least it has a STAR on it," and "Im pretty sure that the Costco card is stronger than some passports." Another jokingly wrote, "So, you're saying we should bring you a chicken?" The post garnered over 15k reactions as of June 7, with over 700 comments. The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005 following a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission to "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.' The process has taken 20 years to implement, per the Associated Press. At this time, all states are issuing REAL ID-compliant cards. In response to the question, "How do I get a REAL ID?" TSA's site reads, "Visit your state's driver's licensing agency website to find out exactly what documentation is required to obtain a REAL ID. At a minimum, you must provide documentation showing: 1) Full Legal Name; 2) Date of Birth; 3) Social Security Number; 4) Two Proofs of Address of Principal Residence; and 5) Lawful Status." The confusion over the Costco cards likely stems from the prominent gold stars on members' cards. Real ID-compliant cards either contain a star— a lone star, one in a circle, or one in a Just Banned Costco Cards at Airport Security first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 8, 2025
