SPRINGFIELD — Illinois is expanding efforts to convince residents without a REAL ID to finally get one before airport travelers face a $45 penalty beginning Feb. 1.

The Illinois secretary of state’s office will have its REAL ID supercenter in downtown Chicago at 191 N. Clark St. open for the next two Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to make it easier to obtain the identification before the Transportation Security Administration’s planned $45 fine for all air travelers without one goes into effect.

In addition, in partnership with the secretary of state’s office, the Cook County clerk’s office will extend its Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help Illinoisans get the documents they need to obtain a REAL ID, such as marriage or birth certificates. People can walk in or schedule appointments online with the clerk’s vital records office in downtown Chicago at 118 N. Clark St.

The partnership’s first taste of Saturday document and identification distributions resulted in more than 1,100 REAL IDs processed and more than 400 vital documents issued on Jan. 17, the secretary of state’s office said in a Thursday press release. REAL ID compliance has also jumped to 44% from 29% this time last year, with the state having issued more than 5 million REAL IDs.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at a Jan. 14 news conference that his office was adding more than 500 additional appointments to 15 Chicago-area Department of Motor Vehicles facilities.

“Our message is simple: Deadline is coming, help is available and getting a REAL ID has never been more accessible,” Giannoulias said at the news conference.

He added that, depending on the demand, the supercenter’s Saturday openings may be extended into February for a limited time. The supercenter space is leased by the office through 2026.

The increased opportunities for Illinoisans to get their REAL ID come as the state and federal governments slowly ramp up pressure on people to obtain their REAL ID. Beginning Feb. 1, airline passengers without a REAL ID or a valid passport for a domestic flight will be charged a $45 fine and face extra airport security scrutiny.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act over two decades ago in 2005, after the 9/11 Commission recommended the U.S. adopt stricter federal standards around state-issued IDs to make it harder for terrorists to counterfeit them. The measure mandated that federal agencies begin accepting only IDs that meet the new federal standard by May 2008, but implementation has been pushed back numerous times.