Overview
- Half of travelers have used airport biometrics this year, up from 46% in 2024, with 85% reporting positive experiences.
- Mobile channels are gaining ground as airline website preference fell to 31% while web apps rose to 19%, and 54% prefer dealing directly with airlines.
- Payment habits are shifting as digital wallet use climbed to 28% and card use fell to 72%, with instant options like IATA Pay increasing to 8%.
- Seventy-eight percent of passengers want a single smartphone platform that combines a digital wallet, digital passport and loyalty credentials for the full journey.
- Privacy remains the main brake on wider biometric use, with 42% of reluctant passengers saying firm data-protection assurances would change their minds.