The race to become the world’s first passport-free airport

Picture boarding a flight without needing to show your passport, ID, or even a ticket at the airport.

By 2025, this could become a reality at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport.

Renowned for its cutting-edge technology, the airport has even caught the attention of entrepreneur Elon Musk, who remarked that 'the US needs to catch up.'

The airport is launching its Smart Travel Project, which will implement biometric sensors at every checkpoint—from check-in counters to immigration, duty-free shops, lounges, and boarding gates.

Biometrics refers to the unique biological traits that distinguish us as individuals. The introduction of biometric sensors allows passengers to be identified and their travel status verified through facial or iris recognition, eliminating the need for traditional documents.

The innovation

Abu Dhabi has already implemented this technology in certain areas of the airport, especially for flights with its partner airline Etihad. However, its plan to extend this to the entire passenger journey marks a significant milestone.

"We are expanding to nine key touchpoints, making this a world-first achievement," says Andrew Murphy, CIO of Abu Dhabi Airport.

"This system is designed to work without pre-enrollment, allowing passengers to be seamlessly identified and processed as they move through the airport, greatly accelerating the overall travel experience."

Murphy points out that anyone entering the United Arab Emirates for the first time, whether they are residents or visitors, has their biometrics recorded by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) at immigration.

The airport’s system accesses this biometric database to authenticate passengers as they move through various checkpoints.

"What makes this system truly unique is its collaboration with ICP to leverage their data for a smoother passenger journey. This integration ensures that anyone can use the service," Murphy explains.

Murphy states that the goal is to streamline passenger flow, making travel faster. Initial results have already proven its effectiveness.

"Passengers are reporting travel times from curbside to the gate or retail areas in under 15 minutes. Considering the airport’s vast size, with a capacity to handle 45 million travelers, this is a remarkable achievement," he adds.

Option to opt out

According to an October 2023 survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 75% of passengers expressed a preference for biometric data over traditional paper passports and boarding passes.

For the remaining 25% of passengers who may be hesitant about the technology or prefer face-to-face interactions, Murphy assures that a traditional verification process will still be available.

Allowing passengers the option to opt for facial recognition or not is supported by global policymakers, particularly for those unfamiliar with airport procedures.

"For travelers who fly only once every couple of years, as is the case for many, they might prefer the reassurance of human interaction for guidance," says Louise Cole, IATA's head of customer experience and facilitation.

"The choice of having human interaction is essential. It comes down to personal preference, and offering customers the flexibility they’re used to in other situations," she adds.

Additionally, if you're traveling with young children, presenting documentation to an airport staff member is still necessary, although the age limit for this requirement may differ between airports.

"We reserve the system for passengers aged 12 and older, as we find that younger children’s facial features change too quickly to be reliably recognized," Murphy explains.

This could also be linked to adhering to international regulations and policies.

"Certain aspects of international travel with children may not be suitable for biometric use," says Cole. "It's crucial to verify that the child is traveling with the correct guardian," she adds.

Global competition

Airports across the globe are increasingly turning to biometrics, reducing their reliance on paper documentation.

According to the IATA’s October 2023 report, 46% of travelers surveyed had already used biometric technology at an airport.

At this time, no airport has officially achieved a completely passport-free experience.

"There’s a lot of ambition to reach a fully contactless biometric system," says Cole. "But one challenge the industry faces is the difficulty of imagining a consumer process where you constantly have to stop and re-verify your identity, again and again."

Nevertheless, there are several notable examples of progress being made globally.

Singapore’s Changi Airport is a pioneer in biometric technology. Similar to Abu Dhabi, it has teamed up with the national immigration authorities to create a biometric clearance system accessible to both locals and international visitors. The system is expected to roll out gradually, beginning this month.

Biometric terminals have also been introduced at airports like Hong Kong International, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International, at various points along the transit process.

Airports in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific are leading the charge, according to Cole.

"These regions are setting the benchmark for biometric integration in air travel," she states.

European airports are also making remarkable progress in this area.

In 2023, IATA joined forces with British Airways to pilot the first fully integrated digital identity international flight.

Departing from Heathrow and arriving in Rome Fiumicino, the test passenger traveled solely with a digital identity, known as W3C Verifiable Credential, with their passport, visa, and e-ticket all securely stored in a digital wallet, verified through biometric recognition.

In the United States, Customs and Border Protection has rolled out biometrics across all 96 international airports, with 53 locations also offering the technology at departure gates.

A single global, paperless solution.

For Cole, aligning all trials and technologies is key to ensuring both efficiency and safety.

She notes, "A fantastic customer experience at one airport can be overshadowed if the next airport the passenger visits has a completely different approach."

Cole emphasizes that the key to success is standardization and international collaboration.

"Being able to use a single digital identity across multiple airports and airlines ensures a more seamless experience, while safeguarding privacy and data security," she explains.

As airports like Abu Dhabi expand their biometric systems, they could set the standard for other transit hubs, paving the way for passport-free travel.