For years, the industry has been promising self-service travel systems in which passengers avoid multiple ID checks at various points in their journey. Their passports or other forms of identification would be digitally scanned once, with the information used throughout the trip for security and other purposes. Now, the promise is coming to pass - with some systems of digital identity already in place.
Industry players have been working intensively to make seamless travel a reality over the past year, with closer collaboration among airlines, airports, technology providers, and governments. The groundwork has been laid for an integrated system, and discussion has turned to ways different elements can work together.
“We are very close to seeing that mass adoption in one or two years,” said Younkyung Kim, senior manager for customer experience at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). “There is more engagement from airlines, airports, governments, and digital wallet providers.”
Technology Is No Longer the Major Obstacle
Both IATA and Amadeus note that technology is no longer a barrier for digital identity - the emphasis is on getting different systems to work together.
“The technology is there, now we are in a maturity curve of overall biometrics and digital ID at a government level,” said Alessandro Minucci, head of seamless travel at Amadeus. “Governments are embarking on digital ID programs (like EUDI Wallets) and issuing credentials (China, India, Brazil, etc.) so we are in the ‘last mile’ of overall digital identity maturity - trusted government credentials plus biometric authentication.”
Now the challenge is getting different systems to communicate. The examples below show that integrated systems have been tested - and are proving their viability.
Examples of Innovative Testing and Implementation:
- Curaçao’s border processing uses mobile technology
- Indonesia has contactless biometric corridors
- Manchester Airport has a biometric passenger journey
- MSC Cruises has a biometric terminal in Miami
From Trials to Operations
One of the most notable examples of innovation is the recent IATA Contactless Travel proof of concept, which has seen collaboration among airlines, airports, and six digital wallet providers, including Google, Apple, NEC, SITA, Idemia, and IATA itself. The proof of concept demonstrated how digital credentials could be used throughout the journey rather than being confined to one ecosystem. It also showcased how verified information from online travel agents such as Trip.com could be transferred.
“In all, the group moved along really fast and really far,” said Gabriel Marquie, head of digital identity and access management at IATA. “I think it was really positive in the sense that everybody is ready to play and to provide solutions to support the vision.”
The value of the proof of concept was in demonstrating what changes were needed to make integrated systems work. It found that the priority should be on interoperability and a better customer experience - not technology per se.
SITA participated in a Bengaluru Airport proof of concept in which passengers used digital identity credentials on their mobile phones and biometrics to gain access to the terminal entrance, security, and boarding. The process used a passenger’s own mobile phone to store and share credential data - in this case, using facial recognition.
Governments as Critical Enablers
Representatives from IATA, Amadeus, and SITA all stressed that government involvement is vital to the future of seamless travel.
Collaboration with governments will define IATA’s work over the next three years, according to Kim. “Our focus for the next three years is on governments and regulators - how can we get their buy-in, for cross-border interoperability for digital ID credentials?”
Airlines, airports, and technology providers have taken the lead in developing standards and testing systems - but now it is up to states to develop trust and confidence in the systems.
“The most important progress is that digital identity has moved from promise to pilot,” said Raoul Cooper, digital identity director at SITA Borders. “What used to be largely aspirational is now being tested, embedded and standardized to deliver real benefits to the journey – because passengers are demanding it.”
“It’s all about trust,” said Stephen Challis, head of passenger flow at SITA Airports. “Digital identity is only as good as the trust around it. It has to be fit to operate across borders, across systems, and across sectors – and that requires standards that are fit for purpose.”
The problem with systems such as the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is often down to capacity at borders, said Cooper. “It can be about the number of available staff, deployment of kiosks and processes that support passenger flow, and layout of the airport, not just technology.” Minucci suggests decentralization as a solution to many issues.
Passengers Are Ready
Industry players are confident that passengers are eager to embrace new technology. According to IATA surveys, “80% of passengers globally would like to use their smartphones to manage even more travel credentials and 90% of millennials,” said Younkyung Kim.
Giving passengers the choice to use their government-issued credentials in familiar environments such as smartphones removes the need to change behavior. India’s successful DigiYatra program, which has processed about 100 million biometric transactions, is one example of this. The use cases of EUDI Wallets and advances in standardization around ICAO Digital Travel Credentials also contribute to confidence.
Many in the industry are optimistic about 2026 - especially compared to previous years - and confident that a joined-up, integrated approach to travel will come to pass in the near future - with benefits for passengers, airlines, and airports.
