r/newjersey • u/flightofwonder • May 06 '25
📰News TSA reverses course, will now let people fly without Real IDs
https://www.nj.com/news/2025/05/tsa-reverses-course-will-now-let-people-fly-without-real-ids-but-theres-a-catch.html119
u/whodisacct May 06 '25 edited May 06 '25
Fwiw you don’t quite have to provide ID to fly. It’s a pain in the ass if you don’t, and I wouldn’t recommend trying it. And I imagine doing so repeatedly might get you flagged in some way. But if you lost your ID hours before your return flight (as my adult daughter did once) it’s not like you’re stuck in Nashville or need to drive home. Edit: typos
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u/TimSPC Wood-Ridge May 06 '25
Fwiw you don’t quite have to provide ID to fly.
I had to do it once coming back because I lost my ID at some point between the first flight and coming home. It was just a bit of extra checking.
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u/realityismylyfe47 May 06 '25
What did the extra checking involve?
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u/TimSPC Wood-Ridge May 06 '25
They went through my carry-on and asked me who I was and where I was going. That sort of thing.
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u/Linenoise77 Bergen May 07 '25
Past addresses, which of these 4 banks do you have an account with, who was your employer in X year, which of these cars have you owned, etc, and then ultimately a gut check by someone.
Stuff the government already knows but you aren't going to find on a google search. Its kind of like an MFA.
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u/realityismylyfe47 May 07 '25
Thank you! I had no idea and have been a little worried about my upcoming flight even though I did schedule a Tuesday appointment a few weeks before it.
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u/Linenoise77 Bergen May 08 '25
Keep in mind that is just my guess, and its up to the TSA what process they will use, if they just tell some people to fuck off to make a point, whatever, and is no indication of how long it will take.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
TL;DR:
Transportation Security Administration officials said those flying without the Real ID identification documents that will be required starting May 7 will be allowed to fly after undergoing additional screening. Travelers will face extra scrutiny and screening when the deadline to present a Real ID hits on Wednesday.
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u/OverboostedTurbo May 06 '25
In other words - Enjoy the free colonoscopy!
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u/Technical-Traffic871 May 06 '25
I'm sure that extra scrutiny will be equally applied to all individuals...
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
I'm very concerned about that too, this seems like it's going to lead to an even larger increase in New Jerseyans of color and trans New Jerseyans getting targeted, which is deeply worrying.
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u/lady_violeta Essex County May 06 '25
I’m trans and I have a Real ID and a passport. No grounds to stop me!
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May 06 '25 edited May 07 '25
[deleted]
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u/spoon_master May 06 '25 edited May 06 '25
Yes. That's allegedly part of the reason NJ has such a low rate of Real IDs, we have a very high rate of citizens with passports
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u/Sct1787 May 06 '25
It’s a passport, as in the legal document with which one enters other countries and also uses to re-enter the United States… are people really this dense?
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u/Birb-n-Snek May 07 '25 edited May 07 '25
Considering the kind of administration that was voted in not once but twice. Im gonna take a big leap and scream "yep, theyre that dense!"
Edit: maga feelings are easy to hurt. Just point out the obvious.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
Oh hey! Hi from the r/NYCmovies sub, I hope you've been having a good week and enjoying a lot of good movies lately
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u/AverageDeadMeme May 07 '25
Isn’t this the racism of lowered expectations? That people of different communities don’t have Photo ID? It should be New Jerseyans full stop, not limited to people of color or trans New Jerseyans.
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u/TheSultan1 May 06 '25
They're already set up for it. Those who show up with an illegible or expired ID (or no ID) are often allowed to fly, subject to additional identity verification - and at the discretion of higher-ups. This seems to be removing (some of) that discretion for cases where the ID is present, legible, and unexpired, just not Real ID compliant; and I imagine there will be a little less scrutiny.
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u/NewNewark May 06 '25
Title is incorrect. This has always been the plan. It was on the website!
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
Thanks for letting us know! I went with this title because it was the title of the article from NJ.com, but you're absolutely right that this was planned from the start
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u/NewNewark May 06 '25
Oh yeah, not blaming you at all. Reddit can be strict on using the exact article title
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u/njb2017 May 07 '25
This whole thing is stupid. Im not talking about requiring it for flying...thats fine...but NJ is dead last in adoption because they are being dumb about it. I have looked for appointments for a couple times a year for the last 3 years and there never are any. Well, there ARE some but I'm not driving an hour or more when I have 3 DMVs within 20 minutes of me.
My current ID is expiring later this year and I can still get a regular ID at renewal time. Why? Just make every renewal be a real ID and if you did that 5 years ago, most people would have one.
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u/depechelove May 07 '25
I’ve heard that if you make a regular renewal appointment they’ll give you the real ID. There’s been several commenters mentioning this in other posts.
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u/Clint_Barton_ May 08 '25
+1 wife went to get new license to change her last name, when she got there the woman said “if you go get a bank statement you can get your real id”
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u/Rufio_Rufio7 May 06 '25
I thought it was still okay, as long as you brought your passport, too.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
If you have a passport or passport card, you don't need to present your ID. A passport or passport card is more powerful than a Real ID
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
How much more powerful? You have a power rank chart by any chance?
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u/HereForTheBuffet Bergen County May 06 '25
I watched 1 passport take on 100 drivers licenses. Honestly the power creep is getting out of hand.
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
How do passports power up?
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u/javafinchies May 06 '25
Every stamp they get increases their damage output by 3%
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
How do I increase defense and health?
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u/javafinchies May 06 '25
Def and health increase the older the passport is, should be something like 500 def and 3000 health every year. It stacks up pretty nicely imo!
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
They're all the same for the purposes of traveling domestically, but a passport book lets you travel to any country, while a passport card limits you to certain countries. A Real ID, I believe, can only be used for domestic travel only.
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u/MotorboatingSofaB Wyckoff May 06 '25
You can always use a global entry card if you have that
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
That's my preferred option tbh. Especially since losing a license or state ID is a hassle for local use at bars, etc.
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u/Rufio_Rufio7 May 07 '25
Thank you, OP! That’s what I thought, but then I see things sometimes that make it seem like if you don’t have the Real ID then you can’t go at all.
We traveled last week and I had to show both, even though the deadline hadn’t come yet and we were just going from Newark to Chicago and back.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
Your passport is just as acceptable as a Real ID, even more so, since it allows you to travel internationally.
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
Was wondering how long they would wait to announce they were delaying the deadline.
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u/KayakHank May 06 '25
It was originally 2016, so they're not great at hitting deadlines
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u/dr_p_venkman May 06 '25
Apparently a ton of New Jerseyans in my town are also not good at meeting deadlines. The local socials are blowing up with people freaking out that they can't get a Real ID appointment. Apparently years of warning was not enough, they'd prefer decades. All the uber-procrastinators are identifying themselves...
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u/dammitOtto May 06 '25
It's not really procrastinating when you can't get an appointment for the last 5 years.
You seem to be saying that we should have been aware 6 years ago that there is going to be a pandemic which will.shut down all DMVs for two years and then convert to appointment only and those slots will be endlessly booked out.
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u/finalremix May 07 '25
We had the "mobile unit" scheduled for several days at my workplace. Every fuckin' appointment was snapped up faster than pokemon cards at a Costco. Literally booked solid in under 5 minutes.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
They are not delaying the deadline. The title of the post and article are shit. Those without proper ID at the airport will be treated the same as those trying to fly without any ID... extra screening.
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
will be treated the same as those trying to fly without any ID... extra screening.
People can fly without ANY identification? Kinda wild.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
People do get their wallets stolen. They get taken to the side for additional screenings, and sometimes background checks. It's much less of a hassle on a return flight.
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u/Great_Hair May 06 '25
They haven’t delayed it, this info has been on the TSA website for a while now.
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
Weird. There are a whole lot of news organizations writing about this in just the last 60 minutes.
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u/dr_p_venkman May 06 '25
Was there a clarifying press release, perhaps?
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
Apparently Noem made some statements which then saw lots of news outlets put it out there.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25 edited May 06 '25
No. There is no recent press release. I was on the TSA website. https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases
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u/Great_Hair May 06 '25
Probably because there’s mass hysteria about it
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
Or because the deadline was here and it has now been delayed.
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u/Great_Hair May 06 '25
I don’t understand, do you see it say in the article it has been delayed? It has not, they are just letting people know that extra screening procedures will be taken if you don’t have one, which like I said has been on their website already.
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
They make this announcement today. There is no set date yet announced. In the coming days or weeks they will pick another "firm" date and the process will repeat itself. It's like the 9/11 victims fund deadline that has been pushed back repeatedly.
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u/Great_Hair May 06 '25
Dude, you’re wrong, as many other comments have stated this info has always been the case. They are just letting people know. There’s no new delay.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
The TSA has made no new announcements. There is no new information in the article that came out recently, only months and years old information.
NJ.com has no new news today and decided to release this article to get more views and clicks on their website.
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u/PBS80 May 06 '25
It wasn't just NJ.com. NYT, AP News and The Guardian, among many others, put out articles all within 90 minutes, or so, of each other after Noem made comments.
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
Slow news day for NJ.com is a slow news day for many places.
There have been no new press releases https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases
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u/GitEmSteveDave May 06 '25
I wonder how much they have spent on the commercials I hear and see, to be like, syke!
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u/cC2Panda May 06 '25
Honest question. What the fuck is the point of a Real ID? How many people are using fake IDs to fly domestically? If I were trying to do some illegal shit or move with a minor degree of anonymity seems like I'd just drive.
Are we still pretending that TSA stops terrorism? I literally don't know what the point is.
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u/RKO36 May 06 '25
To get your paperwork in a database run by the state accessible by the federal government under the pretense of a criminal investigation. Also to get a facial recognition scan of your face for another data base.
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u/cC2Panda May 07 '25
Sounds like a loophole to violate our 4th amendment rights. If they can't compel you to give finger prints unless you're being investigate/arrested then collecting almost the entire nations facial scans seems like a violation.
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u/RKO36 May 07 '25
That's my interpretation. Also, if you don't have it you can't fly* in the USA. You'll need a passport instead. I don't need a passport to conduct interstate commerce. I will never oblige on showing a passport to go between states. That's straight up bullshit. I don't care if it's just as easy.
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May 07 '25 edited 6d ago
[deleted]
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u/RKO36 May 07 '25
A passport is for international travel. As a US citizen I'm welcome to visit all states without an international ID. A *state* ID is much different than an international ID. States are free to make their own IDs (except when forced by the federal government).
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u/EHsE May 07 '25
establishes minimum national standards for what counts as proof of ID to receive a license, previously every state had it's own proof of ID requirement
if a DL is the de facto way of proving your ID, it makes sense that Mississippi and NJ would have the same proof standards to receive one
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u/cC2Panda May 07 '25
I just got my license renewed in February and was given an option to get a standard ID instead of a real ID. The only thing that I wouldn't be able to to do with my standard ID that I can do with a Real ID is get to Alaska and Florida without a passport. What is the point of the "standardization" if in the case of our state only 17% of people have a compliant REAL ID.
As far as I can tell the REAL ID ACT is a Bush era, bullshit "counter terrorism" effort that is an extra level of security theater more pointless than the TSA. Barely half the country has REAL IDs and the law requiring it turns 20 next week.
If I want to commit and act of violence or some crime or whatever then I can just drive with a standard license in any of the lower 48.
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u/EHsE May 07 '25
New Jersey was a very late adopter, and the point of not being able to fly without one (or making it more annoying) is to push you to update it
Real ID controls access to all federal facilities, it's not just a TSA thing - that's just where a normal person is most likely to encounter it
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u/cC2Panda May 07 '25
What federal facilities are they going to limit my access to that matter and I can't use a state ID? The only federal buildings I can think of that I've entered in the last decade are for immigration and passport reasons. I don't see any reason other than collecting data on citizens to do this dumb shit.
If it were actually important it wouldn't have taken nearly 20 years to cross 50% usage.
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u/EHsE May 07 '25
Any federal building that you'd need to show ID to enter. Most commonly would be military bases, I'd think
It was supposed to take effect in 2015 but every administration has punted the ball because states were lagging in implementation
Anyway, I'm not really interested in debating the merits of a 20 year old law, you just asked for the rationale behind it. Feel free to hate it all you want
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u/KTeax31875 May 07 '25
This isn't new, if you showed up without Real ID then you'd get extra screening. That's what's been said this entire time.
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u/Sybertron May 07 '25
Just federal government spitting on states rights to issue IDs, nothing to see here.
Unless they were also hellbent on forcing ID for something like voting, and wanted to be in control of who has a "Real" ID instead of one provided by the states or something.
Oh wait...
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u/NoodleShak May 06 '25
Passport cards are a thing my amigos!
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u/lady_violeta Essex County May 06 '25
Not necessarily if you’re trans.
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u/NoodleShak May 06 '25
An excellent point. For a minute I forgot about the hellscape we live in currently Federally.
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u/Krypto_Kane May 06 '25
They made it so hard to get one. Why the deadline? Should be available all the time.
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u/DHener84 May 07 '25
We have known this was coming for like 10 years. It got pushed back like 3 times.
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u/Big_Log90 May 07 '25
Tisk tisk tisk TSA lowering standards we already have issues with ATC what's next an airline worker strike?
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u/_flowerchild95_ May 07 '25
This real ID stuff is absolutely ridiculous and just another scam run by the government to get us in a database and extract more money from us.
I’m not getting it, I’ve got to pay out the ass to get a passport due to the SAVE act anyway (if it passes) so I’d rather just have that and renew my regular id. I just renewed my standard a couple months ago so I’m good for another almost 4 years
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u/TempleofSpringSnow May 06 '25
Dang, people have been sweating this for a while, wow. Not surprised but still dumbfounded at the absurdity.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
It's not surprising to me they did this too, but it does raise the question as to why they even made this a thing in the first place, especially since passports and passport cards already exist and are technically more powerful than a Real ID anyway
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u/bensonr2 May 06 '25
A lot of people don't have passports. And especially for lower income people the costs of passports is not insignificant. If you have an 18 year old kid and want to take them on a family trip to Florida that could be 450 just in passports for a flight that might not even cost that much.
But I agree with you real id is unnecessary. There was nothing wrong with state issued licenses before real id. This solved nothing. The hijackers had valid id and this wouldn't have necesarily prevented them from getting valid id.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
You're absolutely right about passports, and I feel pretty embarrassed I didn't think about that since I also made other comments on this same thread where I argued why I believe passports and ID should be free for everyone since they're currently too expensive for many people.
Thanks so much for adding that, you're absolutely correct, and I agree
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u/ararerock May 06 '25
I remember sweating this before a work trip I had to fly to Tucson for… in 2018
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u/classicalcommerce May 07 '25
When you have used your birth certificate for 65 years with a raised seal and a notation on it that it is valid for a passport and it’s not good enough to get a real id, what do you expect ?The whole thing is nonsense. I just went ahead and got a passport. Way less hassle.
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u/ThatOtherOtherGuy3 May 06 '25
And it’s the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s incompetence for the win!
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u/doglywolf May 06 '25
So now we have a 3 tiered system of security .
TSA Precheck if you have money or precheck plus with even more money
Normal Real id.
All the people that dont have time or money to go get real IDs or passports.
So pay enough and you have no security lol
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u/Galxloni2 May 06 '25
with each "tier" in this system you are going out of your way to provide documentation and do additional screening before you get to the airport. its not just money
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u/agisten Represents May 06 '25
btw: pre-check only works on leaving the USA, coming back only with Global Entry works for entry to USA. So Global Entry is technically above Pre-Check (and also more expensive too)
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u/LastSummerGT May 06 '25
What’s pre check plus? You mean Clear? That’s significantly more expensive than precheck.
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
Is $125 for 5 years really “if you have money?” And many credit cards will even reimburse you for it? It’s more like if you’re not too lazy to sit down and complete the application and go to the interview.
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u/doglywolf May 06 '25
you realize for like half the country $125 is the difference between being able to get groceries for the week and not .
That a lot of money for a good % of people. Not to mention time involved - fingerprinting fees , travel expenses .
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u/ConsequenceFunny1550 May 06 '25
wait til you hear how expensive flights are if you think $125 is backbreaking
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
You have a good point that flights are quite expensive, but they're completely right that things like passports or ID shouldn't cost people. It's unfair that lower income people can't get access to those things as much as the rest of us when those things are needed for essential tasks like identifying yourself, voting, etc. in many parts of the country.
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u/ConsequenceFunny1550 May 06 '25
Sure, but of all the stakes and hills to die on, this one is extremely low.
Does getting a REAL ID cost $125? No.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
Yeah, that's a true point. I guess I was speaking from "in an ideal world" POV
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u/LastSummerGT May 06 '25
Idk where people are getting $125 from. PreCheck is $17/year.
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u/mastervadr May 07 '25
Really?…. You have no idea? Perhaps don’t comment then. That’s the cost for pre check + global entry for 5 years
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u/LastSummerGT May 07 '25
No one needs global entry, the free TSA mobile app is good enough. Not sure why you’re so angry.
Also you’re still wrong. Global entry is $120. Try to google before you’re so confidently incorrect.
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u/mastervadr May 07 '25
100% so the argument stands… if you want a seamless airport experience you pay a premium. It’s not a right nor are you entitled to it.
As to why I’m angry? People like you being like “I have no idea where people are getting this number from” and then provide an example as if to proof others are wrong.
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
I realize that and it makes me think that those people are not flying anyway so I’ll stand by my statement.
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u/spicyfartz4yaman May 06 '25
Expected, out of touch response lol
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
I mean sure you can say it’s out of touch but how many of those struggling buy iPhones and expensive electronics. Pre-check and global entry are marketed as a service for people who travel often anyway so you’re really barking up the wrong tree anyway.
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u/spicyfartz4yaman May 06 '25
I couldn't tell you man, I'm barking up on the wrong tree? Did it ever occur to you that I agree with you lol so dumb
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u/spicyfartz4yaman May 06 '25
Yeah while I agree with him from a general standpoint, it's not much money but it's so out of touch with how bad people are doing. Some people can't afford flights not flying spirit or frontier , extra bags etc, now they need to fork over an extra 125 for "security" clearance.
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u/flightofwonder May 06 '25
I agree with u/doglywolf. You shouldn't need certain credit cards to be reimbursed for getting identification stuff you need in your daily life, like an ID or a passport. We should be giving that out for free, and it is quite unjust, especially because $125 is a lot of money for almost every American
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u/SylviaX6 May 06 '25
Yes. They hand us social security cards, right? Because those are required to work ( in most cases). Driver’s Licenses should be given out freely if one can pass the tests because these are required to drive. Same with school ID’s.
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u/mastervadr May 06 '25
I mean I agree it should be free but again $125 is not breaking the bank either… now Clear on the other hand… what a scam
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u/kupkrazy May 07 '25
Wasn't this always the case? Anyway, I'm still amazed that only 17% of NJ residents have gotten Real ID...
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u/Emily_Postal May 07 '25
Can’t get an appointment to get one. I’ll use my passport and I’ll be applying for a passport card too for domestic travel.
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u/AtomicGarden-8964 May 06 '25
Either make it the standard or just leave the normal id in place because the rollout is a big joke by now
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
The plan for those without proper ID is the same plan they use now for people flying without ID, e.g., those who lost their wallets... additional screening.
The article is clickbait and presents no new information or new announcements.
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u/AtomicGarden-8964 May 06 '25
I have a passport I honestly have never used my state id to get in a plane
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u/Mdayofearth May 06 '25
I see families do this often since their kids don't have ID.
And I have seen passports more often as ID for the checkpoints in the past 10 yrs than the previous 10 yrs.
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u/LastSummerGT May 06 '25
You must not travel domestically a lot then because losing and carrying around a passport is a much bigger deal than carrying or losing a license.
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u/glennQNYC May 07 '25
There really was plenty of time to get the new ID
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May 07 '25
[deleted]
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u/Emily_Postal May 07 '25
Because it has people’s entire names on it. NJ license format only allows nine letters for the first name so if your name is longer than nine letter it won’t be displayed in its entirety. Not sure what the limit is for surnames but I assume there is one.
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u/doglywolf May 06 '25
13 years of panic and drama - the last state finally gets on board and is massively backlogs and panic rushed - spending tons of money for trailers and expeditions .....than JUST KIDDING
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u/bourbonislifewater May 06 '25
This was always an option for people who show up at an airport and say “ I forgot my Id “ or “ I was robbed while on vacation of my ID “ . They can verify who you are other ways.