SITA and Qatar Airways have introduced the Fast Pass biometric system at Hamad International Airport in Doha, linking more than 700 biometric touchpoints throughout the terminal. Passengers enroll once using Qatar Airways’ mobile check-in app or self-service kiosks, and thereafter use their face as a boarding pass covering check-in, bag drop, security, and boarding.
Dubai International Airport operates the ‘Red Carpet Smart Corridor’ powered by Paravision face biometrics, capable of processing over ten travelers simultaneously. Emirates Airline installed over 200 biometric boarding cameras at DXB starting in 2017. Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport applies biometrics at five of nine passenger
touchpoints. Etihad Airways is testing facial identity verification for boarding and lounge access. The under-construction Al Maktoum International Airport plans an AI-powered, interconnected biometric ecosystem.
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international passenger traffic, handled over 95.2 million passengers in 2025. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates biometric verification can reduce passenger processing times by up to 40%. Airport Show 2026 in Dubai, scheduled for October, will focus on biometric technology solutions for airports.
Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport plans to trial biometric passenger registration enabling independent check-in and document printing. Vietnam’s Noi Bai International Airport has implemented
biometric check-in kiosks at Terminal 1, processing 2,000 to 3,000 passengers daily. Nigeria’s Federal Airports Authority (FAAN) is deploying V-Pass, a biometric identity verification system developed with Verxid Technologies and Barnksforte Technologies, offering passengers secure digital identification after one-time enrollment.
The biometric passenger journey market growth is driven by Middle Eastern airlines and airports’ investments to meet rising passenger volumes. However, governance, liability, funding, and interoperability challenges prevent fully scalable biometric systems globally. Selim Bouri, SITA’s president for Middle East, Africa & Türkiye, said, “The way people move through airports is changing, and trusted digital identity is at the center
of it.” He added, “When a passenger is verified once and recognized across the whole journey, the airport runs more smoothly and the traveler stays in control of their data.” Majed Al Joker, COO of Dubai Airports, emphasized focus on “consistent, measurable improvements in how guests move through our terminals.” The biometric technology market is projected to reach $150.58 billion by 2030, with airport biometrics services expected to reach $276.56 billion by 2032. By 2027, 75% of airports worldwide are anticipated to use biometric technologies in passenger journeys.
