Biometric check-ins and bag drop to arrive at majority of airports by 2026: SITA

Biometrics will be available to travelers for both check-ins and bag drop processes at more than half of global airports by 2026, based on plans shared with SITA for its 2024 Air Transport IT Insights report. Biometrics for passenger processing and digital identity management remain among the industry’s top investment priorities, amid a steady climb in adoption.

The 57-page report finds biometrics are continuing to transform passenger processing, with 7 in 10 airlines expecting to adopt biometric identity management systems by next year.

The impact on airport congestion is expected to be significant: a 30 percent improvement in passenger processing times and a 60 percent reduction in wait times. SITA’s findings are similar to those of a recent pilot of IATA’s One ID program in Asia, which found a 40 percent reduction in passenger processing times.

IT spending by airlines reached an estimated $37 billion in 2024, and airports spent nearly another $9 billion, according to the report. As biometrics investments and adoption ramps up, so do the aviation industries efforts to upgrade their cybersecurity.

“This year’s findings highlight a pivotal moment for the aviation industry,” says SITA CEO David Lavorel. “As cyber threats become more complex, airlines and airports are taking decisive action to protect their operations and passengers. At the same time, biometrics and AI tech are simplifying the travel experience, helping the industry meet growing demand, and build resilience for the future. It’s clear that the air transport industry is going through a transformation, and these numbers prove it.”

The use of single-token digital identities has increased from 17 percent to 24 percent over the past year, and another 27 percent plan to implement single-token approaches by the end of 2027. Touchless technologies are in the plans for 66 percent of respondents, and “biometric-enabled” digital identity technology has already been implemented by 32 percent, but another 43 percent plan to do so before 2028.

Data privacy remains a major concern for aviation companies adopting biometrics, but as the top barrier, it has been caught by adoption rate (19 percent each), and is just ahead of complying with border authority rules (18 percent).

When asked what digital identity credentials they plan to use for biometric verification, 38 percent said a national or regional credential, such as the EU Digital Identity Wallet, while 32 percent say an airline or airport-issued token. ICAO Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) are in the plans for 27 percent, just ahead of ICAO ePassports (26 percent). Other credentials like mDLs are on the agenda for 17 percent, according to the survey.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  digital identity  |  face biometrics  |  market report  |  SITA