(Stacker) – Welcome to the holidays, and with them, the holiday rush. A third of Americans plan to travel to see Christmas cheers this year, according to a Civic Sciences survey of September 2024. To manage this increase, airports are accelerating the adoption of passenger-focused technologies. The global smart airport market, valued at $18.2 billion in 2023, is expected to reach $40.4 billion by 2030, according to Research and markets.
U.S. airports are investing heavily in automated solutions to solve long-standing problems in air travel. Fortune Business Insights reports that 88% of airports and airlines are using artificial intelligence to plan major research and development programs, driven by passenger demand as 64% of travelers want a digital travel concierge.
Although these technology upgrades aim to improve efficiency, high modernization costs and data sharing regulations present major challenges for airports. Travel experts told USA Today These automated systems can be particularly difficult for older travelers or those who are less comfortable with technology.
Uniqode highlighted five key passenger-focused technologies that airports have adopted in recent years, exploring how they work, where they are being implemented and their potential benefits for travelers. From automated check-in kiosks and biometric screening to automated security lanes, baggage tracking systems and mobile apps, these innovations are reshaping vacation travel for millions of Americans.
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Automated check-in kiosks
Automated check-in kiosks, now standard at most U.S. airports, are evolving as airlines move toward more digital solutions. These self-service stations allow travelers to check in, select seats, print boarding passes and tag their bags without assistance from staff.
Alaska Airlines has removed check-in kiosks at nine airports in 2024 as part of a $2.5 billion plan to move entirely to mobile apps, while Frontier Airlines now charges $20 for human assistance at recording, according to The United States today.
The push toward automation has mixed results. Even though airlines claim that kiosks reduce check-in times and reduce costs, people still prefer to talk to other people. A study by travel technology company Travelport found that three quarters of customers surveyed always prefer the option of speaking with a human agent.
Oakland International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport have implemented biometric kiosks and self-boarding systemsrespectively, to improve passenger screening and streamline processes, Forbes reported. However, travel experts told USA Today that these automated systems often encounter complex situations such as changing a reservation or assisting with special needs.
New features incorporated into modern kiosks include radio frequency identification (or RFID) baggage tracking, with more than 50% of passengers expressing interest in electronic baggage tags, according to Airport industry news.
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Biometric security check
Biometric security screening, which uses facial recognition to verify travelers’ identities, is rapidly expanding at U.S. airports as part of the Transportation Security Administration’s program. efforts to improve safety and reduce wait times. The technology, which TSA began testing in 2019, can reduce security interaction time from 25 seconds to about 10 seconds, according to Delta Air Lines officials interviewed by The New York Times.
Currently available at more than 30 airports, including Denver International and Los Angeles International, TSA plans to expand biometric screening to 400 additional locations, according to the Times.
A survey published in September 2024 by the US Travel Association found that nearly 4 in 5 air travelers support biometrics at TSA checkpoints, with 7 in 10 supporters citing terrorism prevention and human trafficking prevention as the primary reasons. Proposed legislation by Senators Jeff Merkley of Oregon and John Kennedy of Louisiana are threatening to ban the TSA’s use of biometric technologies, a move that American Travel Association the caveats could lead to longer wait times, reduced safety and a waste of taxpayer dollars. The TSA says passenger participation remains voluntary, with travelers able to opt out in favor of standard identity checks.
Major carriers continue to expand their implementation, with Delta operating the system at LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports, while United Airlines uses it at Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles international airports.
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Automated control lanes
The TSA implemented automated screening lanes with CT scanners to strengthen security and reduce waiting times at checkpoints. Nationally, 205 automated screening lanes have been installed as of June 2024, including new lanes added at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
The new system includes four stations where travelers can simultaneously place items in bins, allowing faster passengers to move between slower ones, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. ABC 7 News in July 2024. Automated rollers move the bins through X-ray tunnels and back under the conveyor, “kind of like a bowling alley,” Farbstein said.
The technology includes advanced CT scanners that provide 3D images of carry-on bags, which TSA officers can rotate on touch screens for better inspection, according to the TSA. Early adopters, such as Denver International Airport, tested the system in 2018 to refine the technology before wider implementation.
The automated lanes are currently in place at Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. These lanes aim to maintain TSA’s standard wait time goals of 10 minutes or less for PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes or less for standard screening.
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Airport apps for seamless updates, dining options and cashless parking
Major airports are launching mobile apps that provide real-time updates on flights, dining and parking options to streamline the travel experience. At Houston airports, a new app helps passengers locate food vendors and receive flight notifications. The system also includes a cashless parking solution where travelers can pre-book spaces by entering their license plate number and travel details. According to a report from Fox 26 Houstonautomated readers scan license plates to open doors upon arrival, with charges automatically processed to credit cards upon exit.
QR codes are also becoming a key part of airport restaurants, allowing travelers to order meals directly from their smartphone without downloading additional apps. At airports like John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty and Chicago O’Hare, passengers can scan QR codes to browse menus, pay and even have food delivered to their gate. according to The Verge.
International airports are advancing application technologies. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol launched an Apple Watch app in January 2024, using artificial intelligence and thousands of motion sensors to predict crowd sizes and wait times. The system uses intelligent self-learning algorithms to make departure, transfer and arrival processes more predictable for travelers, according to the airport. The app has been downloaded by more than 1.6 million travelers as of January 2024.
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AirTags to Track Baggage (and Help the Airline Do the Same)
Apple is introducing a new “Share Item Location” feature that lets passengers share AirTag location data with airlines to streamline baggage tracking. The technology uses Apple’s Find My network to track items and generates a live update link that passengers can share with airlines, CNN reported.
About 26 million bags were mishandled in 2022, costing the industry about $2.6 billion, according to SITA, an airline communications and IT company. Launching in December 2024, the Share Location feature aims to address these issues by helping travelers and airlines locate lost luggage more efficiently.
United Airlines plans to roll out the feature at select airports and hopes to launch it more widely in 2025, David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, told CNN. The technology will also be integrated into SITA’s baggage tracking system and used by more than 500 airlines and 2,800 airports worldwide.
Although the system promises to help locate mishandled luggage more efficiently, passengers must have both an iPhone and AirTags to use the service. The location sharing link automatically expires after seven days or when users find their luggage.
Additional research by Nicole Caldwell. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
This story originally appeared on Uniqode and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
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