ID Verification in Aviation: Exploring the Latest Developments

Airport ID verification now often goes hand in hand with face biometrics checks to authenticate travelers at multiple checkpoints—from check-in and bag drop to security screening and boarding. For example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has rolled out its Biometric Facial Comparison system to 238 airports for passenger identity checks.

Security teams are well aware of the threat of deepfakes and presentation attacks, where someone might use a high-res photo, video playback, or a mask to try to fool a biometric camera. And even though airports are presumed to be controlled environments, systems still need to account for such attempts to even be considered secure. Solutions like Regula Face SDK handle these threats by employing liveness detection algorithms to verify that the user is a live person, not an imitation. They enable facial recognition kiosks to perform checks like analyzing micro-movements (e.g., blinking), using 3D depth sensors, and detecting texture patterns to distinguish a real face from a flat image.

Immigration booths and airline check-in counters are increasingly equipped with biometric document readers that not only read the machine-readable zone (MRZ) and barcode, but also access the embedded RFID chip. For example, Regula Document Reader SDK can validate an identity document in about three seconds by reading all the necessary data, including the RFID chip, and performing automated forgery checks​​.

The role of Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) is also noticeably growing. A DTC is essentially a digital representation of a traveler’s identity (based on their passport) that can be stored on a smartphone or cloud and used instead of the physical document. ICAO has been piloting DTC standards: Type 1 and Type 2 DTCs still require a physical government-issued passport, but allow verification via a phone-held credential, whereas the Type 3 DTC would be a fully virtual passport (no physical document at all) backed by government databases​.

Several countries and states are rolling out Mobile Driver’s Licenses (mDLs) and national IDs in smartphone wallet apps, which can serve as identity proof for domestic air travel. In the United States, the TSA has recently begun accepting mDLs from select states at airport security. Passengers with an Apple Wallet or Google Wallet digital ID can tap their phone at the CAT reader; the device pulls encrypted identity info and displays it to the officer for verification. This process is designed to show only necessary data (name, DOB, ID validity) and, in some cases, is combined with a live photo to confirm that the phone’s holder is the rightful ID owner. By late 2024, such digital IDs were already being accepted at a growing number of TSA checkpoints, though travelers are still required to carry the physical ID as a backup.

Airlines and airport apps have also introduced features for remote digital identity verification. In 2024, Swissport’s subsidiary Checkport Switzerland launched the MatchBox mobile app for airline check-in, which integrates Regula Document Reader SDK. With the app, travelers can scan their passports with a smartphone camera and get an immediate confirmation if their documents are acceptable. The SDK reads the document RFID chip, validates security features, and performs a document liveness check to make sure it’s a real and authentic identity document. Almost 1.5 million document checks have been processed in the first 6 months, fully automating 86% of them and thereby preventing a large number of INAD (inadmissible passenger) incidents​​.

Despite more travelers going digital, physical identity documents will be around for years to come, and they will continue to be a target for criminal activities. That’s why airports set up entire document checking stations with large-scale spectral comparators—with such an arsenal, identity fraud is next to impossible. For instance, in late 2024, Laos installed Regula 4306 Video Spectral Comparators at Wattay International Airport to bolster border officers’ ability to detect fake passports​. This helps officials examine travel documents under various light wavelengths, highlighting alterations or substitutions that normal light wouldn’t show.

Now let's take a look at the most relevant regulatory standards today and see how exactly they shape the current state of IDV in aviation:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been championing the concept of One ID, a vision for a paperless and deviceless travel journey where a passenger’s identity is verified via biometrics once and then recognized at every subsequent step. 

In recent years, One ID has moved from theory to practice through a number of pilot programs. One trial involved flights between Hong Kong and Tokyo Narita with Cathay Pacific: passengers had a digital ID wallet on their phone containing their travel credentials, and at the airport, they were verified through facial recognition without any additional IDs. The result was a 40% reduction in processing time at key checkpoints​. Importantly, the trial used a decentralized model—two different digital identity wallet solutions were tested, and passengers’ data was largely stored on their own devices, in line with privacy principles​. 

IATA is now urging accelerated adoption of digital identity for travel, arguing that the technology is no longer a barrier​. In April 2025, IATA introduced a Contactless Travel Directory for airlines; it’s essentially a guide to help them integrate with various biometric and digital ID providers​. The goal is to prevent each airline or airport from creating isolated biometric systems and instead encourage mutual recognition of credentials.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has long provided the standards for passports and travel documents—for instance, every modern e-passport adheres to ICAO specifications for the RFID chip, biometric data format, and security keys. As for air travel specifically, ICAO’s focus has been on next-gen Digital Travel Credentials (DTC): it has been reported that the tests for DTC Types 1, 2, and 3 are ongoing. However, the varying degrees of success of these tests suggest that completely passportless air travel is not in the picture in the next couple of years.

Another area ICAO is influencing is the integration of biometrics with travel documents for crew and staff identification. Recently, ICAO has updated certain guidelines in its Aviation Security Manual to encourage member states to use biometric identification for airport employees and even pilot license holders to prevent credential fraud. While these are not binding regulations, they set a global tone that biometrics should complement ID cards and licenses in high-security environments like cockpit access or entry to secure airport zones.

Regulatory standards also significantly impact how ID verification tech is deployed. In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) classifies biometric data used for identification as a “special category” of personal data, meaning its use is tightly controlled. This came to the forefront in 2024 when the French privacy authority asked the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to weigh in on facial recognition at airports. The EDPB’s Opinion 11/2024 made it clear that systems where airports or airlines centrally store passengers’ face templates “would not be compatible” with the GDPR’s privacy-by-design requirements unless strong measures are in place​. It favored architectures where the passenger retains control, such as storing their biometric template on their own device or having encryption keys that the user holds, so the airport cannot decrypt the data at will. 

Also worth mentioning is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)—a large-scale border management system that will require all non-EU travelers to have four fingerprints and a facial image recorded the first time they enter the Schengen area, and each entry/exit will be logged against this biometric profile. Originally slated for 2022, then 2024, the EES has been delayed to October 2025​ due to technical and coordination challenges. When it goes live, it will spur the deployment of hundreds of biometric kiosks at airports across Europe, which will necessitate robust systems to securely manage the data of millions of travelers.

In the United States, regulations are a patchwork, but they’re evolving. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates under federal privacy laws and has published a number of guidelines for its biometric programs. Key guidelines include making biometric identification optional, using the data solely for identity verification, and implementing cybersecurity measures to protect the data in transit and storage. 

U.S. lawmakers have shown increasing interest in oversight: some members of Congress questioned the expansion of TSA facial recognition, citing privacy and asking why it’s needed if CAT scanners can already detect fake IDs​. Meanwhile, the federal REAL ID Act—which sets security standards for driver’s licenses used for flying—has taken full effect on May 7, 2025​. Now, U.S. passengers must present a REAL ID-compliant license or passport for domestic flights, which effectively forces states to issue IDs with verified identity and anti-fraud measures.

Large-scale adoption of digital ID verification is almost in sight; within the next year or two, a traveler might reasonably expect that at many major airports, they can opt for a biometric pathway. And as the adoption rates grow, so does the need for advanced solutions to support all the progress being made. 

For instance, face biometrics checks can be carried out by Regula Face SDK, ensuring convenience and safety at every stage of the journey, from ticket booking to baggage claim:

• Integration with airport systems: The SDK integrates with check-in kiosks, mobile apps, and border control systems, working with existing airport infrastructure.

• Advanced facial recognition with liveness detection: The SDK uses precise facial recognition algorithms with active liveness detection to verify passengers in real time, preventing spoofing through photos or videos.

• 1:1 face matching: The SDK matches a passenger’s live facial image to their travel document or database entry, verifying identity at a 1:1 level.

• 1:N face recognition: The SDK scans and compares the passenger’s facial data against a database, identifying them from multiple entries at once (1:N).

• Face attribute evaluation: The SDK assesses key facial attributes like microexpressions and accessories to improve accuracy and security during identity verification.

• Age verification: The SDK automatically verifies passengers' age to confirm whether they are of age or not.

• Adaptability to various lighting conditions: The SDK operates effectively in almost any ambient light.

• Multilingual support: The SDK is available in over 30 languages for easy localization.

At the same time, document verification can be handled with the help of Regula Document Reader SDK. The SDK automatically detects the document type, performs document liveness checks, verifies RFID chips and analyses various dynamic security features. It also works with tools like Timatic to determine which documents are valid for a specific international flight path, based on passengers’ nationality, origin/destination country, visas, etc.

And our hardware solutions such as Regula 4306 Video Spectral Comparator are a great addition for more in-depth document-related checks and investigations in a lab environment.