On the first day of the new travel ID requirements, security checkpoints at Miami International Airport seemed like business as usual for passengers.
Delil Young spent plenty of time sitting at a Concourse D restaurant on Wednesday afternoon and drinking Covid, spending a holiday with her family in Magic City.
He already got his real ID, so it was “quick and easy” to go through the TSA security and lines. The 44-year-old traveler who works for a US postal service said his “no-line” experience at the airport was smooth and “not the same as before.”
But to make the extra preparation he also brought his passport, even if his trip was in the US, visiting from New York, he was waiting to get home.
His father, 61-year-old Terrill Dixon, still had no real ID, but he had plenty of time to sit with his son and enjoy a beer.
Both said the TSA would need to receive additional security from May 7th.
“I was worried that the line would be long, but they weren’t,” he said.
The MIA was expecting more than 141,000 passengers on Wednesday, said Gregchin, director of communications at the Miami-Dade Aviation Agency. Over the past 30 days, the airport has simultaneously gained an average of 1% higher traffic than this year, he said.
Still, there was plenty of space in the departure area before and after security on the first day of the actual ID.
Sam Funderbark sat in an airport restaurant with his work colleague before returning to his flight to Tallahassee. The 56-year-old traveler who works in the sale of fertilizers had come to South Florida for a business trip. Both had time to chew before returning.
Funderburk said he has had an actual ID for several years. Traveling on Wednesday was “smooth,” he said.
“We didn’t see any issues,” he checked in and cleared security.
Things you need to know about your actual ID
If you don’t have an actual ID after the May 7th deadline, you can use your passport to pass through the TSA.
However, if you go to the airport after the deadline without an actual ID, passport or other acceptable identification, the Department of Homeland Security warns that “we can expect to face delays, additional screenings, and the possibility that security checkpoints will not be allowed.”
The Transportation Security Bureau says flyers with no acceptable identification must undergo additional security procedures before they are allowed to board the flight.
These ID requirements apply to anyone over the age of 18, including TSA Precheck people. According to the TSA, those who are unable to verify their identity or refuse to complete additional screenings will not be able to pass airport security.
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Actual ID driver’s license or status identification card can be easily identified by a star in the circle in the top right corner of the card. If the license has a star, it meets the actual ID standard. If not, you should apply as soon as possible at the driver’s license office.
Florida says Real ID is a national effort to improve the integrity and security of state-issued driver licenses and identification cards, which will help fight terrorism and reduce identity fraud.
According to the TSA, travelers who present an identity such as an ID that is not accepted by the TSA, such as an ID issued without a condition that is not compliant with the actual ID, such as an ID that is not accepted by the TSA, may be asked to complete the identity verification process, including the collection of personal information such as the Traveler’s name and current address. Those who refuse to cooperate with the identity verification process, or who are unable to verify their identity, will not be permitted to enter the airport security checkpoint, the TSA said.
What are the acceptable alternative forms of identification other than actual IDs?
According to TSA’s Actual ID FAQ page, travelers across the US require only one valid format of identification. Apart from the actual ID, TSA accepts the following alternative identification formats at security checkpoints after Wednesday’s deadline: The TSA stated:
* State issued Extended Driver’s License (EDL) or Extended ID (EID)
*US Passport
*US Passport Card
*DHS Trusted Traveler Card (Global Entry, Nexus, Sentry, Fast)
*US Department of Defense ID including ID issued to dependents
*Permanent Resident Card
*Border cross card
*Acceptable photo ID issued by federally recognized tribal nation/Indian tribes, including enhanced tribal cards (e.g.)
*HSPD-12 PIV card
*Passport issued by foreign governments
*Canada driver’s license or Canada card
*Transport Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC)
*US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
*US Merchant Mariner Credentials
*Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
If I have an actual ID, do I need a passport to travel internationally?
According to the TSA Real ID FAQ page, US travelers need a passport to travel internationally.
A report from The Hour (Norwalk, CT) contributed to this report.
