The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the results of its 2026 Global Passenger Survey (GPS), highlighting major trends in passenger behavior and expectations.
The results, based on over 10,000 responses from more than 200 countries, show that passengers are embracing biometric identification to reduce repeated document checks and show strong interest in using digital passports for check-in and more personalized services. However, more passengers say immigration requirements have discouraged them from visiting a destination.
Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president, operations, safety and security, said governments can boost air travel help by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate checks, and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.
The GPS found that satisfaction with biometrics has reached its highest level yet. Over half of passengers (58%) reported having experienced biometrics at some point in their airport journey in the past 12 months, up from 50% in 2025, and up by 24 percentage points from 2022.
The survey found that 87% of passengers were happy with their biometric travel experience, up from 86% in 2025, with 78% of travelers saying they would be willing to share their biometric information if it means they can skip showing a passport or boarding pass at airport checkpoints. Among these passengers, 75% said they prefer to register once in advance so they can be recognized automatically throughout the airport journey.
Passengers also showed strong interest in using digital passports to simplify their journeys – 82% said that they are interested in using a smartphone combining a digital wallet, digital passport and loyalty cards to book, pay and navigate airport processes on departure and arrival.
Retaining trust in biometrics is of course essential to their adoption in travel processes. Tghe survey found that 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%).
The GPS also found that immigration requirements have discouraged 43% of passengers from visiting a destination, up from 33% in 2025. Of the passengers discouraged from traveling to a particular destination by geopolitical conflict, 72% said that safety was the main reason, while 13% cited uncertainty over whether travel is possible.
Of the passengers put off by immigration requirements, 53% said the process is too complex. Privacy (17%) and cost (17%) were less common concerns. Passengers also said that they want visa processes to be faster, earlier in the travel process and digital. Careen noted that while more than 100 countries issue eVisas, there is little consistency in how they are checked. “The tools to fix that already exist, and governments should adopt them,” he said.
Artificial intelligence (AI) use is another key trend tracked by the GPS. Responses showed that almost half (49%) of travelers have used AI for travel planning.
Regional trends
African travelers are among the most satisfied but are also the most likely to have been discouraged from visiting a destination by immigration requirements. African biometric adoption is among the lowest across the regions surveyed, but interest in digital travel solutions is among the strongest.
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.
European travelers report the lowest overall satisfaction. This is also 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 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.
Travelers from Latin America and the Caribbean report 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 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.
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