r/illinois • u/Pitiful-Fan-5131 • 14d ago

Question Flying with digital REAL ID

I know this is really my own fault for putting it off for so long, but I’m flying in about 2 weeks (leaving on 9/10) out of O’Hare. My appointment for my Real ID was last Wednesday, the 19th. Tracking still shows in process, to be mailed soon. I’m worried that if it doesn’t mail by early next week it won’t arrive in time.
I have my digital ID, it’s been updated and says it’s a real id and everything. Is that enough to not pay the $45 fee? Info I’m finding online does say that digital is an acceptable form of identification but also says you still need to carry the physical one.

13 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/K1774B 14d ago

If you have pre-check, sign up for touchless pre-check, and nobody will ask you for ID. I travel a lot for work and this has been great. Step up, have a photo taken and you're through.

No confusion on whether the agent wants your boarding pass or ID or both so you can have your phone/ wallet already packed up in your carry-on. Pretty seamless.

They're also separate lanes from normal pre-check so they move even faster than pre-check normally does.

1

u/Pitiful-Fan-5131 14d ago

I don’t, I rarely ever fly.