Travellers embracing biometrics, AI, but entry requirements remain a barrier: IATA

Biometrics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and entry requirements are three of the major trends in passenger behaviour and expectations highlighted in IATA’s newly released 2026 Global Passenger Survey (GPS).

The survey reports that:

• Biometrics are becoming mainstream and interest in digital passports is growing: Passengers are embracing biometric identification to reduce repeated document checks and show strong interest in using digital passports for check-in and more personalized services at booking.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how passengers plan travel: From finding flights and comparing fares to discovering their next destination, passengers are making AI part of their travel planning.
• Entry requirements are a growing barrier to travel: More passengers say immigration requirements have discouraged them from visiting a destination.

Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security, explained that: “Passengers are embracing technology to make travel easier. AI is becoming a mainstream travel planning tool, while biometrics and digital identity are creating a faster and more seamless airport experience. Yet many travellers continue to face barriers from complex immigration and visa processes.”

Careen continued: “Governments can help by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate checks, and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.”

IATA reported that nearly six in ten passengers report experiencing biometrics at least once in the past 12 months, and satisfaction with biometrics has reached its highest level yet.

As well, passengers show strong interest in using digital passports to simplify their journeys, 84% interested in using a digital passport for online check-in instead of their physical passport.

Careen observed that: “More passengers are experiencing biometrics during their travels. They like it and want more. That’s good news because the benefits are substantial — smoother journeys for passengers and more efficient, secure processes for governments and airlines. To make biometrics the norm for international travel, governments must agree a framework for issuing and accepting secure digital passports — or Digital Travel Credentials.”

Not surprisingly, IATA’s GPS shows that AI is changing how passengers plan, revealing that almost half (49%) of travellers have used AI for travel planning, with:

• 21% of passengers have used AI to search for flights to a specific destination, the most common use.
• 19% have used it to find the cheapest flights.
• 17% have used it to get inspiration for where to travel.

Said Careen: “People are using AI to plan their travel. It’s important for airlines not only to ensure their offerings show up in AI, but also to develop convenient links to convert an AI conversation into a real booking.”

As for entry requirements, they are a growing barrier to travel, even as passengers embrace technology. Immigration requirements have discouraged 43% of passengers from visiting a destination, up from 33% in 2025.

IATA’s GPS reported that:

• Of the passengers discouraged from traveling to a particular destination by geopolitical conflict, 72% say safety was the main reason, while13% cite uncertainty over whether travel is possible.
• Of the passengers put off by immigration requirements, 53% say the process is too complex. Privacy (17%) and cost (17%) were far less common.

Passengers also want visa processes to be faster, earlier in the travel process and digital:

• 86% are likely to share immigration information digitally before departure to speed up processes, up from 83% in 2025.
• 45% would prefer to complete immigration procedures before reaching the airport, up from 41% in 2025.
• 60% prefer to apply for a visa online, compared with 25% who prefer to apply in person at a consulate or embassy.

Careen pointed out that: “Passengers want to apply for visas online and complete immigration procedures before they reach the airport. eVisas can deliver that, but airlines can only verify them efficiently if governments use common standards. More than 100 countries issue eVisas, yet there is little consistency in how they are checked. The tools to fix that already exist, and governments should adopt them.”

Go to www.iata.org for more.