Artificial intelligence and biometric identification are changing how people plan and experience air travel, but complicated immigration procedures are continuing to discourage passengers from visiting international destinations, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2026 Global Passenger Survey.
The findings point to a changing global travel environment in which passengers increasingly expect faster, more personalised and digitally connected journeys, from the moment they search for a flight to the time they pass through airport security and immigration.
Nearly half of passengers surveyed, representing 49 per cent, said they had used artificial intelligence for travel planning. The most common application was searching for flights to a specific destination, cited by 21 per cent of respondents, while 19 per cent had used AI to find cheaper fares and 17 per cent had turned to the technology for destination inspiration.
The growing use of AI suggests that digital platforms are becoming an increasingly important part of travel decision-making. Passengers can use the technology to explore destinations, compare options and identify suitable flights, potentially changing how they interact with airlines and travel providers.
For airlines, this creates pressure to ensure that their products and services are visible across AI-powered platforms and that passengers can move easily from a digital conversation to an actual booking.
IATA Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen, said airlines needed to develop convenient links that would enable passengers to convert AI-assisted travel searches into confirmed reservations.
The shift towards digital travel experiences is also evident at airports, where biometric identification is gaining wider acceptance. More than half of passengers, 58 per cent, said they had experienced biometrics at some point during their airport journey in the past 12 months, up from 50 per cent in 2025 and 24 percentage points higher than in 2022.
Satisfaction with the technology has also increased, with 87 per cent of passengers who had experienced biometrics saying they were happy with the process.
The survey found that 78 per cent of respondents would be willing to share their biometric information if it allowed them to move through airport checkpoints without repeatedly presenting their passports or boarding passes. Among those willing to use the technology, 75 per cent preferred to register once in advance and be recognised automatically throughout their airport journey.
Interest in digital passports is similarly high. Some 84 per cent of passengers said they were interested in using a digital passport for online check-in, while 82 per cent wanted to share their digital passport with an airline at the booking stage, after payment, to access more personalised services, including information about visa requirements.
However, the growing acceptance of digital identity systems comes with concerns about privacy and data protection. The leading worries among passengers who had reservations about biometrics included data breaches, cited by 59 per cent, information being shared with other organisations, at 49 per cent, and a lack of clarity about how personal information is handled, at 41 per cent.
These concerns suggest that wider adoption of biometric technology will depend not only on convenience but also on passengers having confidence that their personal information is securely collected, stored and used.
Despite the enthusiasm for digital innovation, immigration requirements remain a major obstacle to international travel. The survey found that 43 per cent of passengers had been discouraged from visiting a destination because of entry requirements, an increase from 33 per cent in 2025.
Among those deterred by immigration procedures, 53 per cent said the process was too complicated, while privacy and cost were each cited by 17 per cent.
Passengers are increasingly looking for ways to complete these requirements before arriving at the airport. The survey found that 86 per cent were likely to share immigration information digitally in advance of departure, up from 83 per cent in 2025. Meanwhile, 45 per cent preferred to complete immigration procedures before reaching the airport, compared with 41 per cent in the previous survey.
The preference for online visa applications was also pronounced, with 60 per cent favouring digital applications over the 25 per cent who preferred applying in person at a consulate or embassy.
IATA believes governments can address many of these challenges by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate document checks and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.
Careen noted that more than 100 countries already issue electronic visas, but differences in how they are processed and verified create difficulties for airlines and travellers. He called for governments to adopt common standards that would allow airlines to verify digital travel authorisations more efficiently.
The association’s position is that digital travel credentials and standardised verification systems could help bridge the gap between visa issuance and the passenger’s journey, making it easier for travellers to complete immigration procedures before departure.
The benefits could extend across the aviation industry. Passengers would have greater certainty about entry requirements before travelling, airlines could verify documentation more efficiently, and airport authorities could reduce repetitive checks and improve passenger flows.
However, the survey also highlights differences in how travellers across regions experience and respond to these changes. North American passengers reported the highest use of biometrics but also the strongest concerns about data breaches. Middle Eastern travellers showed the greatest interest in AI-powered travel planning, digital passports and biometric identification, while European passengers were more cautious about adopting digital travel technologies.
In Africa, biometric adoption remained relatively low, despite strong interest in digital travel solutions. African passengers were also the most likely to have been discouraged from visiting a destination because of immigration requirements. These regional differences underline the need for digital travel systems that are accessible, secure and responsive to varying passenger needs.
Ultimately, the findings suggest that the future of global air travel will depend on more than introducing new technologies. While AI could transform how passengers discover and book trips, and biometrics could make airport journeys more seamless, complicated visa procedures and inconsistent border processes risk undermining these gains.
For IATA, achieving a more efficient international travel experience will require governments to work with airlines and other industry stakeholders to establish common digital standards, simplify immigration procedures and build trust in the use of personal data. The objective is to ensure that technological progress translates into a smoother journey from travel planning to arrival at the final destination.
