With the Transportation Security Administration set to require Real ID for commercial airline passengers Wednesday, San Diego International Airport leaders are advising travelers to arrive early and be prepared.
Starting Wednesday, TSA officers will require passengers age 18 or older to present a Real ID or other acceptable form of identification to board a flight.
"We encourage passengers to plan ahead if they intend to fly out of SAN on May 7 and bring proper identification," Kimberly Becker, president and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said in a statement. "More than 40,000 passengers depart from SAN each day and with the beginning of Real ID enforcement we anticipate possible delays.
"To ensure a smooth experience through SAN, we advise travelers to arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international flights."
The Airport Authority will have extra staff on duty Wednesday to help address traveler concerns, officials said.
To determine if a California driver's license is Real ID-compliant, travelers are advised to look for a golden bear with a star in the top right corner. Those who aren't sure can check with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Other acceptable forms of identification include U.S. and foreign passports and passport cards, Department of Defense identification — including those issued to dependents — a permanent resident card, border crossing card, or photo ID from a federally recognized Tribal Nation, among others.
A full list can be found at tsa.gov/travel/security- screening/identification.
Once enforcement begins, passengers who do not present Real ID or another TSA-acceptable form of identification "can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being allowed into the security checkpoint," the airport statement said.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, speaking at a congressional hearing Tuesday, said the agency is hoping for a smooth transition to the Real ID requirement.
"What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line and ... show (their ID) and if it's not compliant they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step. But people will be allowed to fly," she said. "... We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary."
For people who still need to obtain a Real ID, 18 state Department of Motor Vehicle offices will open one hour early, four days a week through June 7 to serve appointment-only customers seeking the federally mandated cards.
This includes four DMV offices in San Diego County, which will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and devote the early hour exclusively to patrons with Real ID appointments.
On Wednesdays DMV office hours at the participating locations will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Here are the hour-early offices in San Diego County:
— El Cajon, 1450 Graves Ave.;
— Poway, 13461 Community Road;
— San Diego Clairemont, 4375 Derrick Drive; and
— San Marcos, 590 Rancheros Drive.
