After 17 years of delays, the national mandate requiring Real IDs to fly domestically kicked off Wednesday — sort of.

Passengers without the enhanced IDs — or other acceptable identification, such as a passport — were still allowed to board their flights with additional random security checks.

The enhanced security measures were imperceptible at the United Airlines terminal at O’Hare International Airport mid-morning, where the Transportation Security Administration line gave an estimated wait time of 5 minutes.

“It’s just like crossing international borders,” said Al Swanson, 76, of Evanston, who does not have a Real ID but was prepared with his passport.

He was traveling with his wife, Charlene, to Houston. Because they carried an acceptable alternative ID, they were would be allowed to pass through security without extra screening.

The Department of Homeland Security says passengers without the right identification “will be notified of their non-compliance, [and] may be directed to a separate area and may receive additional screening.”

About 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said. That figure in Illinois was as low as 30% earlier this year.

TSA spokeswoman Jessica Mayle said the agency has “flexibilities” in place to handle an influx of passengers without Real IDs. Wednesday’s are typically low travel days, she said, which may be contributing to the smooth roll-out.

Jim Spriggs, TSA’s federal security director of Illinois, said extra security checks were being performed at random on passengers without the proper IDs. He said the process would be kept unpredictable so people cannot take advantage of the system.

Despite the short wait times, Spriggs recommended people without proper IDs to come early in case they receive extra screening.

The Real ID initiative dates back to a 9/11 Commission recommendation to bolster ID requirements for people to get on airplanes. The program to make IDs harder to counterfeit was supposed to be enforced in 2008. But its implementation has been pushed back repeatedly for more than a decade.

But there was a mad dash for Real IDs across the country when federal officials said the May 7 deadline was for real.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office has worked overtime the past few months to distribute more Real IDs, adding thousands of daily appointment slots at DMVs across the state. Only 30% of state ID holders had a Real ID compliant card as of February, according to the office. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias even opened a new downtown “supercenter” to process more appointments.

But DMVs have struggled with long lines and wait times. Giannoulias has said that DMVs will continue to be staffed after May 7 to handle the influx. He has urged people to hold off an requesting an appointment unless they needed one by the deadline.

Real IDs are now needed to fly domestically and to access certain federal buildings and facilities. Real IDs — which can be identified by the gold star on them — are not required to drive.