Real ID appointment too hard to get? This option clears the way for passengers to travel

New York Post

06-05-2025

No need to clear your schedule to book a Real ID appointment — there's a way to travel without it.
Starting tomorrow, May 7, US citizens must have a Real ID to fly on planes.
But with DMVs across the country swamped with requests for appointments, many Americans are now in a position where they won't be able to get a Real ID before the deadline.
Luckily, there are options for those set to take to the skies before they can lock down a coveted booking.
3 Starting May 7, flyers in the United States will not be able to get on a domestic flight unless they have a Real ID.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
CLEAR, the identity security company that's been a long-time partner of the TSA, is offering solutions for both existing and non-existing CLEAR members.
Anyone who is a current member of CLEAR Plus can simply scan and upload their passports to the CLEAR App, giving them immediate access to a Real ID-compliant document.
Having this document on-hand will help avoid delays or any document updates once at the airport.
Non-members can enroll in CLEAR from their phone using just the app and their passport and follow the same steps — no appointment or visit required.
CLEAR is able to automate most users' identity verification for TSA screenings using their data, including fingerprint and iris scans, so having a passport scanned into the app will allow for easy access to CLEAR lanes.
'The technology that we've built to authenticate your passport means that now you can leave that passport at home,' Kyle McLaughlin, executive vice president of travel and aviation at Clear, told The Points Guy last week.
'And when you get to the airport, you're going right through the verification lane again, so it's as if you have a Real ID if you're a Clear member and you've done the leg work ahead of time.'
3 CLEAR is offering solutions for both existing and non-existing CLEAR members.
Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
In order to fly domestically, all travelers over 18 will need a Real ID — unless they have another TSA-approved form of identification, such as:
US passport
State-issued Enhanced driver's license
DHS trusted traveler cards (GlobalEntry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
US Department of Defense ID (including dependents' IDs)
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
US Merchant Mariner Credential
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
3 DMVs across the country are reportedly swamped with requests for appointments to get a Real ID.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
CLEAR's membership will allow travelers to access their TSA-approved identification right in the palm of their hands without need for stress or worry during the security process.
'For those travelers who are sitting here concerned about the news they're hearing and what the airport is going to look like, [with a] a simple Clear enrollment that can now be done entirely remotely,' McLaughlin said. 'You'll be on your way straight to the checkpoint.'
The cost of enrollment for CLEAR is $199 per year for individuals, with additional costs for the family plan.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem said Tuesday that those traveling without a Real ID by the deadline should still be able to fly — but they should be prepared for extra steps, according to the Associated Press.
Flyers without Real ID 'may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,' Noem said. 'But people will be allowed to fly. We will make sure it's as seamless as possible.'