IATA’s 2026 Global Passenger Survey: Travelers Embrace Biometrics and AI but Entry Requirements Remain a Barrier
La encuesta global de pasajeros 2026 de IATA revela el interés creciente de los viajeros por la biometría y la IA, pero los requisitos de inmigración les desaniman a viajar (pdf)
(pdf) استبيان المسافرين العالمي 2026 من إياتا: المسافرون يتبنّون القياسات الحيوية والذكاء الاصطناعي لكن متطلبات الدخول لا تزال عائقاً أمام السفر
国际航协2026年全球旅客调查：旅客积极拥抱生物识别与AI 入境要求仍是出行障碍 (pdf)
Macao – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the results of its 2026 Global Passenger Survey (GPS), highlighting three major trends in passenger behavior and expectations:
“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 travelers continue to face barriers from complex immigration and visa processes. Governments can help by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate checks, and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
Biometrics Move Mainstream as Interest in Digital Passports Grows
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.
Passengers also show strong interest in using digital passports to simplify their journeys:
Retaining trust in biometrics remains essential to their adoption in travel processes. Passengers’ leading concerns about biometrics are data breaches (59%), information being shared with other organizations (49%), and a lack of clarity about how their personal information is handled (41%).
“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,” said Careen.
AI Is Changing How Passengers Plan Travel
The GPS shows that almost half (49%) of travelers have used AI for travel planning. Specifically:
"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," said Careen.
Travel Barriers Are Rising as Immigration Rules Deter Passengers
The GPS shows that entry requirements 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.
Passengers also want visa processes to be faster, earlier in the travel process and digital:
"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," said Careen.
Regional Trends
Africa: African travelers are among the most satisfied. They are the most likely to have been discouraged from visiting a destination by immigration requirements. Complexity, followed by cost, is the main concern among those deterred by entry requirements. Biometric adoption is among the lowest across the regions, but interest in digital travel solutions is among the strongest of all regions.
Asia-Pacific: Asia-Pacific travelers report the highest level of overall satisfaction. They are the second most willing of any region to use biometrics, although concerns about data breaches remain strong. Immigration requirements also discourage travel, particularly the complexity of the process.
Europe: European travelers report the lowest overall satisfaction. They are the most cautious region when it comes to adopting digital travel technology. Use of both AI and biometrics is below the global average, and European passengers are also less willing than those elsewhere to use biometrics and digital passports during booking and online check-in.
North America: North American travelers report the highest use of biometrics, but also the strongest concern about data breaches. Concerns about data being shared with other organizations and a lack of information about how it is handled are above the survey average. They are the least likely to have been discouraged from visiting a destination by immigration requirements.
Latin America & the Caribbean: Travelers from Latin America and the Caribbean are the second most satisfied globally, reporting the largest improvement in overall satisfaction compared with 2025. They are among the most likely to prefer completing immigration procedures before arriving at the airport and show a strong willingness to share immigration information digitally in advance. Biometric use is below average compared to other regions, while concerns about how personal data is shared and handled are the highest of any region.
Middle East: Middle East travelers are the most likely to use AI for travel planning and show the strongest interest in digital passports and biometric identification. Satisfaction among biometric users is also the highest across the regions. Among those discouraged from traveling by immigration requirements, cost is cited more often than elsewhere, although complexity remains the leading concern.
Source: IATA Global Passenger Survey 2026. All figures are shares of all respondents in each region. Changes are in percentage points versus 2025.
About the GPS
GPS results are based on over 10,000 responses from more than 200 countries. The survey provides insight into what passengers would like from their air travel experience. Visit the Global Passenger Survey page to access the complete analysis.
For more information, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org
Notes for Editors: