A recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) study reveals that most travelers worldwide are comfortable with biometric processing and digital passports at airports.
The 2026 Global Passenger Survey (GPS), released on October 28, gathered over 10,000 responses from participants in more than 200 countries. The survey shows an 8% increase in travelers experiencing biometric processing, rising from 50% in 2025 to 58% in 2026.
An impressive 87% of passengers expressed satisfaction with their biometric experiences at airports. Furthermore, 78% are willing to share their biometric data to bypass presenting physical passports and boarding passes during security checks.
The study also highlights travelers’ openness to other modern airport technologies. 84% of participants expressed interest in using digital passports for online check-ins, while 82% would share their digital travel IDs with airlines during booking for personalized services, such as visa requirement information.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, emphasized the need for governments to establish a unified framework for digital passports, stating, More passengers are experiencing biometrics during their travels. They like it and want more.
Careen added, That’s good news because the benefits are substantial — smoother journeys for passengers and more efficient, secure processes for governments and airlines. To make biometrics the norm for international travel, governments must agree on a framework for issuing and accepting secure digital passports, or Digital Travel Credentials.
Biometric processing at airports typically involves documenting unique physical characteristics, such as facial recognition, iris scanning, and fingerprinting. In the United States, travelers can opt out of facial recognition technology without facing longer processing times or losing their place in line, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allows American citizens to request alternative processing if they decline facial photo capture. This alternative likely involves a CBP officer manually verifying travel identification documents.
As biometric processing becomes more prevalent, governments and airlines must collaborate to establish a secure and efficient framework for digital travel credentials. The growing acceptance of these technologies among travelers suggests a potential transformation in airport security and check-in processes.