Amadeus unveils planned €1.2B Idemia PS acquisition to extend travel biometrics

Amadeus IT SA has officially declared its intention to acquire Idemia Public Security for 1.2  billion euros (approximately US$1.4 billion) to extend its ambitions as a biometrics and digital identity orchestrator for travel ecosystems throughout the aviation, border control and hospitality markets.

The prospective deal follows reports indicating that Amadeus would emerge as the top bidder for IPS, but seller Advent International was reported to be seeking between €2 billion and €3 billion for the company in mid-2025. The first of Idemia’s three divisions to be sold was its Smart Identity unit, which went to IN Groupe at a reported price tag of a billion euros ($1.1 billion).

Amadeus plans to integrate Idemia Public Security’s biometrics capabilities with airline, airport, border control and hotel IT systems to support a new phase of automation, according to the announcement, with digital identity as a foundational layer in end-to-end travel. Financing for the acquisitions comes from a combination of cash on-hand and debt.

The aviation biometrics ambitions of Amadeus’ already received a boost when the company acquired Vision-Box for €320 million (roughly $374 million at the time) in 2024. That deal gave Amadeus a significant portfolio of face biometrics technology for airports, but Idemia PS brings leading algorithms and devices across several biometric modalities.

“This demonstrates further our long-term commitment to biometrics as part of our broader platform strategy,” says Amadeus President and CEO Luis Marato in the announcement. “Alongside AI, biometrics is one of the most transformative technologies for delivering fast, convenient, and secure end-to-end traveler journeys. This will enable us to deliver our services across more traveler touch points, in turn reducing friction, and improving the traveler experience, while supporting our ambition to further expand biometric capabilities, extending traveler ID throughout the journey.”

Amadeus estimates IPS brings recurring EBITDA of €112 million ($131 million) on full-year 2025 earnings of €711 million ($832 million), and says in an investor announcement the price represents a 9.8X enterprise value multiple based on 2026 EBITDA.

Goode Intelligence CEO and Chief Analyst Alan Goode tells Biometric Update in an email that the deal “comes as no surprise and makes a lot of sense for both parties. Biometrics and digital identity are core technologies for secure travel and border control. The acquisition propels Amadeus into one of the leading suppliers of travel security and identity on the back of the acquisition of Vision-Box two years ago in 2024.”

IPS gives Amadeus technologies beyond biometrics for access control and data management, the announcement notes, enabling Amadeus to expand the breadth of its portfolio.

With Idemia PS’ business in law enforcement and biometric access control, Amadeus says its total addressable market has now jumped to €50 billion ($59 billion).

The investor presentation identifies hotel check-ins, age verification, car rentals and railway transport as possible use cases for the companies’ combined technology beyond airports.

The companies expect a deal to be signed during Q2, 2026.  The planned acquisition is subject to all the usual approvals, and is expected to close in mid-2027.

Article Topics

acquisitions  |  Advent International  |  Amadeus  |  biometrics  |  Goode Intelligence  |  IDEMIA  |  Idemia Public Security