A passport card can be used as ID for TSA checkpoints, but not for crossing international borders by air. It can be used to cross international borders with Canada or Mexico by land or sea.
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I had an appointment to get my Real ID last year when my license needed to be renewed. Dad fell sick and I flew out to be with them - was gone for a good 2 1/2 months and canceled my appointment. By the time I got back home, my license had expired. I didnāt have the time/patience to schedule another real ID appointment, needed to have a valid license immediately to drive around. So, went online and renewed my license. Figured Iād get the real ID license sometime later. 1 1/2 years later, I am still waiting to do it 
Ok, got it. Thanks for the clarification. But it does mean you would eventually need your passport for air travel to Canada or Mexico.
Yes, any international travel by air would require a passport book.
However, domestic travel by air only requires an ID that the TSA accepts. After May 7, 2025, someone who does not have a Real ID driver license or state ID but does have a passport card can use the passport card.
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When I renewed my passport through the mail, I also got the card ($30?). Real ID is difficult to get here so I wanted to make sure I could fly domestically.
Except when you donāt have your passport? We just submitted ours for renewal (by mail). Local office said it may take up to 12 weeks! Hopefully not, and we can track it - but it is disconcerting to be without.
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Thereās a recent thread (I think in Parent Cafe) where a bunch of us discussed how quickly passport renewals come through.
I did my renewal earlier this year, and it was very quick (I paid the expediting fee, but I think that only sped it up a bitā¦even posters who didnāt pay the extra fee got their renewed passports very quickly).
Best of luck with the renewal.
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I donāt think Real ID requirement will ever become a reality. Many Americans havenāt gotten their Real IDs (thatās primarily why the requirement is postponed again for such an extended period). They donāt want to have to be inside a DMV office. Who can blame them?
My passport renewal (online) is still processing at one month since I submitted it. That is still well within the estimated time and I donāt need it right now, so I am fine with the time it is taking.
In my state, this can be done at a AAA office. I have not stepped foot in a DMV in many many years.
I donāt think that is an option in NJ (had AAA for almost 40 years).
I had to renew my license this past summer and could do a regular renewal online or go in person to do the real ID. D went in person the previous year and spent nearly 1/2 the day in line. Thankfully they moved to an appointment system in the interim and I was able to be in and out in 30 minutes. There was a check list of documents to bring and it was very straight forward. Now I can renew on line the next time.
I also would not want to travel with my passport domestically. Mine stays in our safe. It took 8 weeks for me to get it renewed last winter.
There are times of the year when we donāt need our passports. We always time our renewals for one of those. Since itās once every 10 years itās really not difficult for us.
The original deadline was May 11, 2008. Who is taking bets on the 2025 date?
My original Real ID (which was pretty trivial to get) may expire before itās even needed.
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Iāve had real IDs in 2 states; both were super easy. I actually like going to the DMV here 
theyāre super nice and helpful, and thereās never a line. Say what you will about the south, but our post office and DMV are always a pleasant experience, soooo much better than home in PA.
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We will use our Global Entry card. Itās small and I leave it in my purse. Easier than a passport.
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DMV and post office, two places you do not want to be in NJ.
Iām in VA and you do not want to go to the DMV here! I have nightmares about going and thinking āWow! They are on A57. Iām A58. This wonāt be too bad!ā And then for the next 90 minutes they call people with letters B-Gā¦ Ugh!
AAA wouldnāt be amazing for us either, since my nearest office is 50 miles away. Fortunately, most everything with DMV can be done online now.
Our small town post office isnāt bad though, especially if you go to the one downtown. It has limited hours, but if there are more than 2 people in line, thatās super crowded.
I believe our DMV is still doing things by appointment which significantly improved their efficiency. Stillā¦Iām making my appointment at AAA.
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PA either; it was a culture shock when we moved here
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