If your team is planning to fly this season, whether commercially or via air charter, then mark October 1st, 2020 on your calendar. On this date, the Transportation Security Administration, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, will require all travelers to be REAL ID compliant.
What is a REAL ID?
If you are flying within the United States and plan to use your state issued photo ID or driver’s license for travel, your identification will need to meet the standards of the new program.
When traveling as a team, here are a couple of things to keep in mind. TSA requires adult passengers who are 18 years and older to show valid identification before boarding an aircraft. The TSA does not require children under the age of 18 to provide documentation, but we suggest contacting your air carrier with questions regarding any specific ID requirements that they may have.
You may have someone in your travel party lose their ID. A misplaced ID can happen to the best of us, so don’t worry. The TSA website has a list of acceptable forms of identification should this happen to you or someone on your team.
In the event an alternative form of identification is not available, you may be asked by TSA to confirm your identity, and you may be subject to additional screening measures.
Applying for a REAL ID
What do we suggest? Start the REAL ID compliance process early for your travel party. All teams have athletes and staff members with IDs issued from different states from across the country.
Confirm with the department of motor vehicles from the home state of members within your travel party if their current ID is REAL ID compliant. If not, start the process of getting the ID replaced right away in advance of the October deadline. Work with each member of your travel party to have an alternative ID available as a backup.
STM Charters can help
Successful team travel is an important part of collegiate athletics, and it’s our job to arm you with the most up-to-date information so you can plan your travel like a pro. Moving multiple student athletes and staff members from one location to another is a lot of work. Make sure your air travel goes smoothly, whether it be commercially or on a charter, and confirm TODAY that your group is REAL ID compliant.
Not only does STM Charters help with flight logistics, but we’re also here to answer any questions you may have about flying privately. Interested in how REAL ID requirements affect chartering a private plane? Chat with one of our operations coordinators today.
