Real ID Requirement Finally Comes to U.S. Airports

The signs inside Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport told the story on Wednesday: “Real ID, Enhanced, Passport” with an arrow pointing to the right, and “All Others” with an arrow pointing to the left.

After years of warnings and postponements, “all others” are no longer enough to make it past airport security checkpoints. Travelers are now required to flash a federally compliant Real ID, a passport or another approved form of identification to board domestic flights.

At LaGuardia, waits were minimal, and throughout the morning and afternoon the entire security process took under five minutes. Many passengers arrived up to three hours early, heeding warnings of delays or complications from the Real ID rollout. A large number of Transportation Security Administration employees, airport staff and police officers flanked the security entrance, advising travelers to prepare their IDs.

Arthur Perlman, 61, a former teacher from Queens who described himself as “slightly worried,” came four hours early for his flight to Texas. He had recently gotten a state ID card and presumed it was a Real ID.

But it had neither a star nor an American flag, meaning it was not compliant. “A week ago, I thought about it and went, ‘Oh my God!’” he said. “I did a reality check.”