" you could never fly again without a real ID … unless you work three of the airport troll ’s riddles . "

Way, way, waaaay backin 2005, Carrie Underwood wonAmerican Idol, Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah’s couch, and Congresspassedthe REAL ID Act. The act came out of the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation for the government to standardize ID requirements for air travel, visiting some federal facilities, and going into nuclear power plants.

Afterdelayingthe act’s enforcement for 20 years, Real ID is now required for travelers boarding domestic flights in the United States as of 2 January 2025.

Well, sort of. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Congress Tuesday, “What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line and…show [their ID]. If it’s not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly.”

Naturally, people online have a lot to say about this whole debacle, including a lot of jokes. Here are the best posts about America’s two-decade-long will-they-won’t-they situationship with Real ID:

As always , if you like these tweet , give the poster a follow to make your timeline funnier and better .

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People standing in line outside a Real ID Super Center, holding documents, near a sign pointing to the center

A sign at an airport security checkpoint promoting the Real ID with a woman holding up an ID card, stating "Be your REAL ID self."

A social media post shows an airport flyer requiring a REAL ID for compliance, advising travelers to get one soon for flights

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I couldn't help but wonder, was I putting off getting a real ID because I couldn't identify the real me? picture of sarah jessica parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City

If you had a child the day the Real ID law was passed, that child would now be an adult who is also unsure if they actually need a Real ID

Do you still need a real ID if you're an AMC A-list member

A person holds a Costco Executive Member card next to a tweet jokingly asking for a "real ID."

Screenshot of a text conversation where someone named Dad asks, "What's up with these Real ID cards? Just heard about those this morning."

Tweet reads: "flying across the country with my real id, my real ego, my real superego"

A lot of folks are talking about real I.D. when they should be talking about how their real id is keeping them from a substantive relationship with our lord and savior jesus christ

you can never fly again without a real ID… unless you solve three of the airport troll's riddles

A tweet shows a Blockbuster Video membership card with the caption so glad I kept my Real ID card

A humorous social media post: "TSA: do you have your REAL ID? Sorry, no, only my JOKE ID you issued me for the last 30 years"

Tweet by Trey: "I can't wait for them to require a 'for real, for real ID' in the future."

TSA workers the day real ID starts: screenshot of google searches for human bite do I need to go to the hospital

deciding not to learn anything about "real ID" until my life becomes deeply inconvenienced by it

Tweet by Tanya Sabrinaa reads, "apparently you still need a real id even when you're the birthday boy."

Tweet by Jerad Walker highlighting that despite laws requiring REAL ID for flights in 2005, 2015, and 2025, it's still not enforced