You need a REAL ID to fly in a plane starting May 7 — except in 5 states
Before boarding domestic flights, all airline passages ages 18 and older must to present REAL ID-compliant identification or another approved ID, such as a passport, a passport card, or a U.S. Department of Defense ID. The new rule also applies to TSA Precheck members.
As opposed to a standard state IDs, REAL IDs are a valid form of federal identification. Massachusetts residents can check the top right corner of their driver's license or Mass ID for a star, which distinguishes the ID as REAL ID-compliant.
Five states — Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont — issue Enhanced Driver's Licenses and Enhanced IDs, which are also valid alternatives to a REAL ID.
Travelers who cannot provide one of the approved IDs will likely be subject to delays and additional screenings, and may not be admitted past the security checkpoint. You can view the full list of approved IDs on the TSA website.
Under the new regulations, citizens will also need a REAL ID to access federal government buildings, military installations and nuclear power plants.
REAL ID requirements differ by state. In Massachusetts, residents can acquire a REAL ID by providing a birth certificate or passport and verifying their social security number with a social security card or W-2. They also must show proof of Massachusetts residence, such as a lease, mortgage, or utility bill.
Residents can start the REAL ID application process online by visiting the RMV's Online Service Center and scheduling an in-person appointment at a RMV Service Center of AAA branch (for AAA members).
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The Hill
7 hours ago
- The Hill
Behind the scenes of Trump's historic summit with Putin
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – When a door swung open to the small room where President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were holding an historic sit-down meeting, I had barely caught my breath. I had just run from a van about 100 yards away to the building where Trump and Putin were set to hold high stakes talks on the war in Ukraine. White House staff urged us to hurry into the room because Trump and Putin were already inside. Indeed, it was a madhouse as the American and Russian press jockeyed for photos and shouted questions that would go unanswered. 'Thank you very much, everybody,' Trump said, signaling he was ready for the press to leave. I flew aboard Air Force One as part of the group of reporters, known as the traveling press pool, who document the president's movements for those who can't be with him on such trips. The day began around 6 a.m. Friday and ended just after 3 a.m. early Saturday morning with the president essentially making a day trip to the Last Frontier state. I witnessed the carefully choreographed greeting between the two leaders. I was in the room for the frenetic opening moments of their sit-down summit, and I watched as members of the press were stunned to see Trump and Putin walk off stage without taking a single question at what was billed as a joint press conference. The entire trip had an unpredictable pace to it, which can often be the case when part of the travel pool. Long stretches of waiting for a presidential movement are punctuated by rapid developments that force reporters to be at the ready on a moment's notice. I have traveled with Trump several times before, but no trip was as consequential as Friday's summit in Alaska. Witnessing the meeting with Putin first-hand revealed and reinforced certain characteristics about who Trump is as a leader. Trump at his core is a showman, and that was on full display during Friday's summit. Upon exiting Air Force One in Anchorage, I watched as officials unfurled a literal red carpet so that it rolled right up to where Putin would step off his plane. I saw staff put the finishing touches on 'ALASKA 2025' block letters that would serve as the foreground of an initial photo op for Trump and Putin. And my ears rattled as the roar of a B-2 bomber and other military aircraft flew overhead as Trump and Putin stepped onto a riser, part of an elaborate bit of planning from the White House intended to create maximum dramatic effect. The mere act of hosting Putin on U.S. soil was something of a made for TV moment. The coverage was breathless, critics suggested the event's existence was a win for Putin, and European leaders held out hope that Trump could make headway in bringing an end to the fighting that started in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. It was notable to watch Putin face questions from U.S. reporters about whether he would stop killing civilians. He reacted with a shrug. There were indications on the ground that Friday's meeting did not go entirely as planned. Trump and Putin rode together in the presidential limousine for the short drive from the tarmac to the meeting site. A U.S. official confirmed to me that no interpreter or other staff were present for the brief trip, and photos and video footage captured Putin laughing in the backseat. A planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin turned into a three-on-three meeting, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff joining Trump for what ended up being a roughly three-hour discussion. While that played out, American reporters and Russian reporters gathered in the same media tent, divided by a rope line to keep the two sides mostly separate. Unless of course you needed a bathroom, then all reporters used a row of port-a-potties that had been set up outside.) Plans for an expanded bilateral meeting with a wider delegation of officials never materialized. Instead, we were rushed into an auditorium for a planned joint press conference right after the summit, somehow ahead of schedule. The press conference turned out to be a 12-minute appearance by the two leaders in which they each gave remarks: First Putin, then Trump, an unusual maneuver considering the U.S. was the host country. Putin used a lot of his time speaking about Russian history and then flattered Trump with comments about how he would not have invaded Ukraine if it were Trump in office in 2022, and not former President Biden. He gave no indication as to why he thought that. And Trump would not answer follow-up questions about why Putin agreed with him on that notion in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that aired after the press conference. Trump only spoke for three minutes, offering few specifics about what, if anything, had been agreed upon at Friday's summit. The abrupt ending to the press conference left many reporters wondering whether Trump was frustrated by the summit. The Hannity interview before departing Alaska only added to those questions. On the way to Alaska, Trump came to the back of the plane to speak to reporters roughly 20 minutes after taking off for the seven hour flight from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He fielded questions ahead of his summit with Putin about what he was expecting. But the typically talkative Trump was apparently no longer interested in taking questions once he arrived in Alaska. He did not respond to questions shouted by this reporter and others during various photo ops with Putin, nor did he take any questions at what had been billed as a joint press conference with the Russian leader. The president did not speak to the traveling pool during the roughly six-hour return flight to Washington, D.C., though we learned that he did speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies. Those calls set the stage for a Monday meeting in Washington with Zelensky, and perhaps for a future trilateral meeting involving Trump, Zelensky and Putin. As for where that meeting will take Trump and the traveling press pool, the president has suggested another trip to Alaska could be an option. On Friday, Putin had another idea.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Traveling with kids? You'll want to know about this new TSA perk
The TSA is trying something new that could ease one of the biggest headaches in family travel. Here's where it's happening first. Traveling with kids is an Olympic-level challenge—but few moments on the journey test a parent's stamina quite like the airport security line. Between wrestling strollers onto the conveyor belt, corralling wandering toddlers, and fishing crumpled boarding passes from the bottom of a diaper bag, it's a high-stress obstacle course before you've even reached your gate. Does it have to be this bad? Maybe not. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is introducing a new approach aimed at making it easier for families to get through security, and if it catches on, it could be a game-changer for parents. TSA launches family lanes Late last month, the TSA rolled out dedicated family lanes at the security screening checkpoints in select airports. These lanes are designed for parents traveling with young children, giving them extra space, a bit more time, and a less rushed environment to get everyone and everything through safely. The goal: reduce stress for families while keeping the line moving for everyone else. 'Department of Homeland Security and TSA are committed to making the airport security experience as smooth and stress-free as possible for traveling families,' said Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of deputy TSA administrator. Who can use family lanes? The new TSA family lanes are open to any adult traveling with kids under 12 years old, according to a BabyCenter report. This includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or any other caregiver or guardian traveling with a young child. And yes, if Fido is coming on the family vacation, he can join you, too—the airport security family lanes are open to pets. The family lane is a convenient, but optional way to go through security. In other words, families traveling with children can still use the regular security lanes or TSA PreCheck lanes if they prefer—so you don't have to feel obligated to join if you roll up and spot a toddler mid-meltdown over putting their iPad on the conveyor belt. More than a separate line The TSA's new family lanes are more than just a separate line. The officers in those dedicated lanes will receive on-the-job hospitality screening to meet the unique challenges families face at security. Per BabyCenter, the officers will be able to help handle baby gear and make screening of breastmilk and pumping equipment smoother. At the very least, you won't get the stink-eye from other hurried travelers when it takes an extra minute to collapse a stroller or fish a pacifier out of a carry-on. In the family lane, everyone's in the same boat—and the agents are ready to help you get through it without feeling like you're holding up the entire terminal. Where are the TSA family lanes? The new family lanes are part of a larger TSA initiative called 'Families on the Fly,' which aims improve hospitality at 435 airports across the country. But you won't find these kid-friendly security checkpoints everywhere. The family lanes are slowly rolling out at select airports. The first dedicated TSA family lanes opened at Orlando International Airport (perfect for families traveling home after a Disney vacation!) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport in late July. Honolulu also recently opened dedicated family lanes at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The TSA also plans to open family lanes at the following airports: John Wayne Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California (SNA) Jacksonville International in Florida (JAX) Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island (PVD) Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico (SJU) Tampa International Airport in Florida (TPA) Fingers crossed the next rollout is a 'no shouting about water bottles' lane—where agents don't have to yell, and somehow everyone magically remembers to chug before the checkpoint.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Traveling with kids? You'll want to know about this new TSA perk
The TSA is trying something new that could ease one of the biggest headaches in family travel. Here's where it's happening first. Traveling with kids is an Olympic-level challenge—but few moments on the journey test a parent's stamina quite like the airport security line. Between wrestling strollers onto the conveyor belt, corralling wandering toddlers, and fishing crumpled boarding passes from the bottom of a diaper bag, it's a high-stress obstacle course before you've even reached your gate. Does it have to be this bad? Maybe not. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is introducing a new approach aimed at making it easier for families to get through security, and if it catches on, it could be a game-changer for parents. TSA launches family lanes Late last month, the TSA rolled out dedicated family lanes at the security screening checkpoints in select airports. These lanes are designed for parents traveling with young children, giving them extra space, a bit more time, and a less rushed environment to get everyone and everything through safely. The goal: reduce stress for families while keeping the line moving for everyone else. 'Department of Homeland Security and TSA are committed to making the airport security experience as smooth and stress-free as possible for traveling families,' said Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of deputy TSA administrator. Who can use family lanes? The new TSA family lanes are open to any adult traveling with kids under 12 years old, according to a BabyCenter report. This includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or any other caregiver or guardian traveling with a young child. And yes, if Fido is coming on the family vacation, he can join you, too—the airport security family lanes are open to pets. The family lane is a convenient, but optional way to go through security. In other words, families traveling with children can still use the regular security lanes or TSA PreCheck lanes if they prefer—so you don't have to feel obligated to join if you roll up and spot a toddler mid-meltdown over putting their iPad on the conveyor belt. More than a separate line The TSA's new family lanes are more than just a separate line. The officers in those dedicated lanes will receive on-the-job hospitality screening to meet the unique challenges families face at security. Per BabyCenter, the officers will be able to help handle baby gear and make screening of breastmilk and pumping equipment smoother. At the very least, you won't get the stink-eye from other hurried travelers when it takes an extra minute to collapse a stroller or fish a pacifier out of a carry-on. In the family lane, everyone's in the same boat—and the agents are ready to help you get through it without feeling like you're holding up the entire terminal. Where are the TSA family lanes? The new family lanes are part of a larger TSA initiative called 'Families on the Fly,' which aims improve hospitality at 435 airports across the country. But you won't find these kid-friendly security checkpoints everywhere. The family lanes are slowly rolling out at select airports. The first dedicated TSA family lanes opened at Orlando International Airport (perfect for families traveling home after a Disney vacation!) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport in late July. Honolulu also recently opened dedicated family lanes at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The TSA also plans to open family lanes at the following airports: John Wayne Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California (SNA) Jacksonville International in Florida (JAX) Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island (PVD) Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico (SJU) Tampa International Airport in Florida (TPA) Fingers crossed the next rollout is a 'no shouting about water bottles' lane—where agents don't have to yell, and somehow everyone magically remembers to chug before the checkpoint.
