Biometric Boarding: Why Airports Are Replacing Passes With Facial Scans

Statistically, aviation remains the safest way to travel. In 2023, there were only two fatal airline accidents worldwide—the second-lowest fatality count in a decade (EASA’s 2024 Annual Safety Review). 

Such safety records are the result of strict international regulations, comprehensive crew training, and advanced technologies, from real-time traffic monitoring to precise weather forecasting. 

A carefully designed passenger journey with multiple security checkpoints, from ticket purchase to boarding, also plays a key role.  

Biometric boarding, which uses facial recognition to verify passengers, is one of the latest improvements, enhancing both security and the user experience.      

In this article, we’ll explain what biometric boarding is and how it works, and provide real-world examples from airports around the world.

Boarding is one of the final stages of a passenger’s journey. But to fully understand the process, we need to rewind to the beginning. 

First, a traveler buys a ticket—mostly online. During this step, they may be asked to fill out a short form with personal details like their name and travel document number. At the airport, passengers go through check-in, which can now be completed remotely via an airline app. Luggage drop is also part of the check-in procedure. Regardless of how check-in is done, the traveler receives a boarding pass that allows them to go through the security gates. After clearing security, they head to the boarding gate. 

In a traditional setup, passengers show both an ID and a boarding pass—paper or electronic— to airport staff at the gate. The staff typically scan the QR code on the pass and do a quick visual check of the ID to confirm that they both belong to the individual presenting them.  

As a result, a passenger’s identity is confirmed at multiple points:

What does biometric boarding change?

Instead of using a physical pass and ID, a passenger’s biometric identifier—usually a facial scan—is used to confirm their identity, starting at boarding. In this case, the passenger’s face becomes their “boarding pass.” 

In practice, a camera at the gate captures a live image of the traveler and automatically matches it against their passport photo or a stored biometric profile. If it’s a match, the system grants access. 

Importantly, facial data is linked to the traveler’s documents and flight details ahead of time—often during check-in. This makes biometric boarding a secure and efficient way to verify passengers.

Biometric boarding is more than just a new feature—it’s part of a larger industry transformation. 

According to IATA, the global number of air passengers is expected to double by 2041. To manage this growth without large-scale airport expansions, the organization promotes a seamless, contactless travel experience through its One ID initiative. 

The idea is simple: use a single biometric token—typically, a passenger’s face—across all major checkpoints: check-in, bag drop, security, immigration, and boarding. This minimizes repetitive ID checks and long queues, while maintaining strict security standards.

So far, the most common application of biometrics in aviation is using facial scans exclusively during boarding. 

Here are some notable examples of biometric boarding in action at airports and airlines around the world:

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has rolled out the Traveler Verification Service (TVS) at numerous ports of entry, including major airports, to streamline identity checks for travelers entering or leaving the country. 

Using facial comparison technology, TVS compares a live image of each traveler at the checkpoint and matches it against the photo in their travel document to verify identity. 

The system works for both domestic and international routes. Participating airlines use biometric profiles stored in the TVS database to enable touchless identity verification at security checkpoints and bag drops.

International carriers flying to the US also use this system. For example, Finnair operates biometric passport-free gates at Los Angeles International Airport, allowing passengers to board flights to Helsinki with a quick face scan—no physical ID or boarding pass needed.  

Lufthansa pioneered a similar one-step facial boarding process at Miami International Airport. Meanwhile, British Airways became the UK’s first airline to use this technology for flights departing from Orlando, Los Angeles, and New York.

Several European airports, in partnership with Star Alliance—a global airline alliance based in Frankfurt—have adopted a shared biometric system for select flights. 

Through the Star Alliance app, travelers can register a selfie and verify their passport. This one-time enrollment is then linked to the boarding passes of any participating airline. At the airport, passengers can use a single facial scan to move through security and boarding gates—no need to show an ID or ticket. Some airlines, such as Lufthansa, also support biometric access at their lounge entrances.

Local initiatives are emerging as well. Starting in May 2024, Italy began testing a system called FaceBoarding at selected airports, including Milan Linate and Catania. After registering via a self-service kiosk or app, passengers can use facial recognition to pass through security and boarding checkpoints without showing physical documents.

Some airports in the Middle East already use biometric gates for border control, security checks, or boarding. 

A notable example is Dubai International Airport, where eligible travelers can use smart gates equipped with facial recognition for instant passport control. 

Before arriving, passengers must complete an application on a government website and provide their identification data. Once approved, they can use smart gates for both arrival and departure without showing any documents. The service is available to UAE citizens and residents, Gulf Cooperation Council nationals, and visa-on-arrival guests with biometric passports.

Abu Dhabi is taking it a step further. Zayed International Airport aims to become the world’s first truly document-free airport, where passengers won’t need to present passports or boarding passes at any checkpoint. Instead, facial recognition will be used across the entire journey. The system relies on biometric profiles stored in the UAE’s national identity database, meaning no prior registration is required. 

Currently, Etihad Airways uses a biometric system for check-in, boarding, and self-service baggage drop. The technology is also being adopted by five other airlines for check-in and boarding procedures.

Japan’s major airports, including Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita International, offer a biometric boarding system called Face Express. After check-in at a self-service kiosk, travelers can use their facial scan to pass through baggage drop, security screening, and boarding.

During registration, the system matches the photo from the passenger’s passport with a live selfie. According to its privacy policy, each facial image is automatically deleted within 24 hours after check-in, making the facial scan a disposable travel pass. 

Currently, Face Express is available to passengers flying with two domestic carriers—All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines—as well as the international airline Delta Air Lines. 

At Hong Kong International Airport, a similar system called Flight Token allows travelers to board selected flights using biometrics. After checking in—either at a counter or self-service kiosk—a digital facial token is created and linked to the passenger’s travel document and boarding pass. 

With the Flight Token, passengers can move through automated bag drop, security e-gates, immigration clearance, and boarding simply by scanning their face at each point.

In India, the DigiYatra program, coordinated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, brings facial recognition to more than 15 airports. The system allows both domestic and international travelers to register via a mobile app using their travel document and a selfie. Indian citizens registered in the Aadhaar national identity system can use their digital credentials for even faster access. 

Once enrolled, travelers receive a DigiYatra ID, which enables them to move through the entire journey—from booking to boarding—via fast-track biometric lanes, without needing to show physical documents at each checkpoint.

In Malaysia, the EZPaz biometric system is currently available at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. After registering via a self-service kiosk or staffed counter and taking a face scan, travelers receive a single biometric boarding pass. This can be used at every checkpoint: check-in, bag tag printing, luggage drop, security, and boarding. 

To meet privacy standards, all passenger data is deleted within three hours after the flight.

According to IATA’s 2024 global passenger survey, opinions about biometric systems vary across regions, but interest is growing. In fact, 73% of respondents said they would prefer using biometrics over traditional boarding documents.

Here’s why many travelers are embracing biometric boarding:

• Fast-track lanes: Most airports using biometric systems offer dedicated lanes for enrolled passengers. This speeds up the entire airport experience, reducing wait times, eliminating manual checks, and freeing up more time for pre-flight leisure or shopping.  

• Document-free travel: Passengers no longer need to dig through bags or wallets at every checkpoint. For anxious travelers with families, this reduces stress and hassle by removing the need to show physical IDs or boarding passes repeatedly. 

• One-time enrollment: Programs like Star Alliance Biometrics allow passengers to register once and use the same account for multiple flights. Frequent flyers can simply link each boarding pass to their existing biometric profile—no need to start from scratch every time.

• Improved security: Facial recognition during check-in and boarding helps detect identity fraud and impersonation attempts, making the process not just faster, but also safer.

According to the IATA report, passengers have several concerns about biometric boarding—most of them related to data privacy. The top three are: 

• Risk of data breaches—58%

• Data being shared with other organizations—50%

• Lack of transparency around how data is used—43%

In addition, 21% of respondents said they don’t know how their data will be stored, and 19% are concerned about the clarity of the data deletion process.

Interestingly, privacy concerns are a major barrier for European passengers. Even when they do use biometric systems, they report low satisfaction levels compared to other regions. 

In contrast, travelers from North America and Asia are more open to using biometric boarding. This may be due to stronger trust in the systems’ security and compliance. For example, the US, Japanese, and Malaysian programs are known for strict privacy safeguards and adherence to national regulations, helping build user trust.

Airports and airlines looking to implement a biometric boarding system don’t need to build the technology from the ground up. Specialized tools are available to support facial recognition and identity verification throughout the travel journey. One such ready-to-integrate solution is Regula Face SDK. 

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Seamless integration with airport systems: Regula Face SDK can be easily embedded into existing infrastructure. It works with self-check-in kiosks, mobile apps, security e-gates, and border control databases—connecting all these touchpoints into a unified biometric flow.

• Biometric verification with liveness detection: The SDK uses advanced algorithms and built-in liveness detection to confirm that the person in front of the camera is real, not a photo or video. This enhances remote check-in and registration, which are the first critical steps in the passenger journey.

• Flexible verification modes (1:1 and 1:N): The software supports both one-to-one face matching (e.g., comparing a selfie to a passport photo) and one-to-many recognition (e.g., scanning a face against a watchlist or traveler database). This flexibility enables carriers and border control to apply the right method at each checkpoint.

• Facial attribute evaluation: Regula Face SDK goes beyond basic matching. It analyzes facial attributes such as the presence of glasses, masks, or changes in expression. It can also estimate age and gender to improve accuracy and reduce false positives.

Want to learn more about how it works? Get in touch—we’re happy to help!