Biometrics and mobile booking emerged as the key rising trends in IATA’s latest annual Global Passenger Survey.
The 2025 edition analysed 10,000 responses from passengers across 200 countries, and found that over half of travellers had reported using biometrics at some stage in their journey. 85% said that they were happy with their experience, and 74% said they were willing to share more biometric information in advance to bypass passport checkpoints. Data privacy did emerge as a concern, but 42% of respondents who said they wouldn’t share biometric information would reconsider if they felt sure their details were secure.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security, commented:
Passengers are already using biometrics for different stages of their journey, from check-in to boarding. But to make the international travel experience fully digital, governments need to start issuing digital passports and enable their secure recognition across borders. When that becomes common practice, travellers, governments, and airlines will all see the benefits of digital identity with an experience that is even more convenient, efficient, and secure.
More passengers booking via mobile
Travellers in APAC and the Middle East were the most likely to book using mobile apps and pay by digital wallets, but adoption of the tech is increasing in other regions too.
While booking through airline websites remained the most popular method, favoured by 31% of respondents, this represents a decrease from the 37% recorded in 2024. App booking was especially preferred by younger travellers (25%).
Credit and debit cards are still the most popular paying method (79%). However, digital wallet use has risen by 8% since 2024, used for payment by 28% of respondents. Enthusiasm for integrated, frictionless travel with mobile is high: 78% of passengers surveyed said they wanted to use a mobile wallet that had boarding passes, digital ID, and payment methods in one place on their phone.
Careen explained:
Passengers want to manage their travel the same way they manage many other aspects of their lives—on their smartphones and using digital ID. As experience grows with digital processes from booking to baggage claim, the message that travellers are sending in this year’s GPS is clear: they like it, and they want more of it.
Preferences differ by region, however. Travellers in Africa are still the most likely to book in-person at a travel agency, or over the phone. Trust in digital systems also remains an issue for European passengers, who showed the least enthusiasm for digital wallets (27% said they were indifferent or not interested).
Careen concluded:
There is an important caveat which is the need to continue building trust, so cybersecurity remains a priority. Cybersecurity must be core to the end-to-end digital transformation of how we book, pay, and experience air travel.
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