TSA tells fliers: Stop flashing your Costco card at REAL ID checkpoints

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. 

What is a REAL ID?

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."

Do I have a REAL ID? 

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.

How do I get a REAL ID? 

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.

Can I fly without a REAL ID? 

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."

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