How CLEAR is helping travelers get REAL ID ready
If you're a frequent traveler, you've probably seen REAL ID posters in the airport. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have announced that US travelers must be REAL ID-compliant by May 7, 2025, to go through airport security and board domestic flights.
With the upcoming deadline and summer travel picking up, many are rushing to apply for a REAL ID despite lack of appointment availability at local Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs). Additionally, this may cause some chaos and unexpected delays at airports.
Fortunately, CLEAR is here to help. With CLEAR Plus, you can speed through airport security, and upload your REAL ID-compliant document to the CLEAR App in advance.
Find out what you need to do to be REAL ID ready, and how CLEAR can help you avoid the chaos at the airports.
Understanding REAL ID
The REAL ID Act was published in 2005 to enhance security standards and prevent terrorists from using fraudulent identification. While a driver's license is a state-issued ID, a REAL ID meets new federal standards and identification requirements.
Travelers will need a REAL ID by May 7, 2025, to fly domestically. However, your US passport, passport card, or military ID are acceptable forms of identification and can be used to travel domestically, as well.
To get a REAL ID, you'll need to schedule an appointment with your local DMV to upgrade your driver's license. Be sure to check your local requirements and bring all necessary documentation.
How CLEAR can help you be REAL ID ready
For those who are unable to obtain a REAL ID by the deadline, having a CLEAR Plus Membership can help. As a CLEAR Plus Member, travelers can upload their passport to the CLEAR App, allowing them to use the CLEAR Plus Lane without needing to pull out an ID.
Tip: You should always have a REAL ID-compliant document with you when you fly.
Airports are more chaotic than ever, so using the CLEAR Plus Lane will help keep travelers moving through airport security. Members can also determine the best time to leave with the Home-to-Gate feature in the CLEAR App. It calculates traffic data, security wait times, and walk times at the airport to get you to your gate. Members can even reserve an Uber ride directly in the app.
Best of all, a CLEAR Plus Membership offers a suite of benefits and exclusive discounts by giving travelers access to CLEAR Perks. From luggage storing and shipping options to flight price alerts, CLEAR Plus Members can enjoy over $500 in value.
Whether you're unable to get a REAL ID before the deadline or you simply want a stress-free travel experience, CLEAR Plus can help. Join CLEAR Plus and use the CLEAR App to keep your ID in your bag.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour 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
16 hours 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
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
TSA to fliers: Stop trying to use Costco card for REAL ID
The Brief Bad news for travelers who don't have a REAL ID yet: You can't use your Costco membership card to get through TSA. TSA broke the news on its social media pages this week, about a month after the deadline to have a REAL ID to fly in the U.S. As travelers adjust to new identification requirements for flying in the U.S., TSA has some advice for fliers who may be confused: Your Costco membership card does not count as a REAL ID. TSA shared a comical reminder on its social media accounts this week, noting that while they "love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person, please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not." As many social media users commented on the post, it's easy to see why they'd be confused: Most REAL IDs have a star on them, as do Costco membership cards. Big picture view REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that the DHS says is a more secure form of identification. That's because getting a REAL ID requires more personal documentation than what's required to obtain a regular license. RELATED: Will REAL ID be required for other transportation after May 7? Besides needing a REAL ID to fly domestically, you will also need one to access certain federal buildings and facilities. The backstory When the REAL ID Act was signed into law in 2005, it enacted a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that the government set security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and IDs. "REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver's licenses and identification cards," John Essig, the Transportation Security Administration's Security Director for airports in the New York City region said in a press release on April 3. "The improvements are intended to inhibit terrorists' ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification." The REAL ID Act was supposed to begin rolling out in 2008, "but has faced repeated delays due to state implementation challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic," said Nina Ruggiero, senior editorial director for Travel + Leisure. "The combination of varying state processes and shifting deadlines has added to the overall confusion around REAL IDs and likely led some travelers to take the deadlines less seriously." Dig deeper If you've gotten a new ID in the last few years, it could already be REAL ID-compliant. "I also hear from travelers who are confused as to whether or not they already have a REAL ID," Ruggiero said. "Some people who have recently renewed their license may already have a compliant ID and not know it," so you may want to double-check yours before starting the process. A REAL ID-compliant driver's license has a symbol ( in most states, a star ) in the top corner of the card. If you live in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington, it's possible you could have an "enhanced″ ID card instead, which permits you to both fly domestically and cross land and sea borders into Mexico and Canada from the U.S. It does not, however, allow you to fly into either of those countries. Enhanced IDs will have an American flag icon, as well as the word "enhanced" at the top of the card. What you can do If you need a REAL ID, visit the website of your state's driver's licensing agency to find out the specific steps, including whether you'll need to make an appointment at a DMV and what documentation you'll need when you get there. You will likely still be able to fly without a REAL ID, but you may be diverted to a different line and have extra steps to board the plane. What they're saying "The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity," TSA states on its website. "If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening. "You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose to not provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process, or your identity cannot be confirmed." The Source This report includes information from TSA, The Associated Press and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting.
