More air travelers are meeting biometrics at the airport and most of them like it. That’s the headline from the 2026 Global Passenger Survey by IATA. IATA is the trade body for the world’s airlines.
The survey found 58% of passengers used biometrics somewhere on their airport journey in the past 12 months. Among those users 87% said they were satisfied.
But the same travelers have clear worries about their data. And for many of them the hardest part of travel isn’t the airport at all.
What the IATA Survey Found
IATA published the results on October 28 at its World Passenger Symposium in Macao. The survey drew more than 10,000 responses from over 200 countries (IATA).
Biometric use at airports is climbing fast. The 58% figure is up from 50% in 2025 and 24 points higher than in 2022.
- 78% would share their biometric data to skip showing a passport or boarding pass at checkpoints.
- 75% of biometric users would rather register once in advance and then be recognized throughout the airport.
- 84% are interested in a digital passport for online check-in.
- 82% like the idea of one phone wallet that holds a digital passport, payment cards and loyalty cards.
Most airport systems compare your live face with the photo on your passport chip. That one-to-one check works much like the biometric authentication on your phone.
“They like it and want more,” said Nick Careen. He is IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security.
The Privacy Catch
Enthusiasm comes with conditions. Asked about their concerns with biometrics 59% named data breaches and 49% worried their information would be shared with other organizations. Another 41% said it was unclear how their data is handled.
North America shows that tension most clearly. It has the highest biometric use of any region at 63% but also the strongest worry about breaches.
Europe is the most cautious region. Only 47% of European travelers used biometrics in the past year and 70% would share biometric data. Both are the lowest of any region.
First Airline and Airport Pass IATA’s One ID Check
On the same day IATA named the first organizations to earn its One ID certification. It confirms that an airline or airport handles digital identity and biometrics to IATA’s global standards on privacy and consent (IATA).
Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport were first. Hong Kong’s Flight Token system has been used by more than 93 million passengers since its launch in 2021.
What It Means for Your Next Trip
The main hurdle now sits between governments. IATA wants countries to agree on how to issue and accept digital passports. It calls them Digital Travel Credentials.
Some countries are already moving. Europe’s Entry/Exit System now records fingerprints and a face image from non-EU visitors. It’s one of the projects in our roundup of uses of biometrics around the world.
India’s Digi Yatra plans trials for international departures using e-passports in late 2026 (Channel IAM). Immigration checks will stay as they are during the first phase.
Entry rules remain the bigger headache. 43% of travelers said immigration requirements had put them off visiting a destination. That’s up from 33% in 2025.
The Open Question
Supporters say biometrics cut queues and make passport fraud harder. Critics point out that you can’t change your face if a database leaks. Our guide to biometric data explains in more detail.
Would you share your face to skip the passport check? And who would you trust to hold it: the airline or the government?
Sources
- IATA, 2026 Global Passenger Survey press release, October 28, 2026
- IATA, Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport first to achieve One ID certification, October 28, 2026
- Channel IAM, Digi Yatra international departures trials, September 2026
