New ID required for air travel next month

NEW YORK (PIX11) – The countdown is on for a major change at the airport check-in. 

If you're planning to take a flight in the spring and summer, make sure to check your identification – airport travel will require a REAL ID issued by the state.

The cards have a star or flag on them. 

There are 34 days until the new regulation takes effect. REAL ID will provide more layers of security and increase the reliability of identification cards, officials said.

Congress passed a law for REAL IDs in 2005, which was supposed to take effect in 2020. It was delayed due to the pandemic.

The Transportation Security Administration and airport staff are expecting lines, they said. Crews are planning staging areas and special staffing. 

REAL IDs will be a phased-in approach that will begin at airports on May 7. Officials issued a reminder to travelers at a media briefing Thursday at LaGuardia Airport. 

New York State's Department of Motor Vehicles said there is a wait for an appointment, but new dates and times are added every day. 

It takes about 10 days after your appointment to get the new card in the mail. Check out more information on REAL IDs on the Department of Homeland Security's website.