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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the results of its 2025 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) today, 5th November.
The results of this year’s survey highlighted two key trends that are redefining the passenger travel experience; namely increasing reliance on mobile technology and the rapid adoption of biometric technologies.
Indeed, it has been noted that more travellers are managing every stage of their journey using smartphones.
At the same time, the use of biometrics and digital identity is expanding to enable more seamless airport processing, and travelers like it.
According to IATA senior vice-president for operations, safety, and security Nick Careen: “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 travelers are sending in this year’s GPS is clear: they like it, and they want more of it. 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.”
Greater reliance on mobile devices
The GPS confirms that mobile devices have become central to the passenger journey.
Travellers are increasingly using their smartphones to book flights, manage payments and loyalty programs, and handle check-in, immigration, boarding, and baggage processes.
At the same time, enthusiasm for mobile-enabled travel is higher than ever.
Key trends noted are as follows:
- Booking and payment habits are shifting toward mobile channels Over half of travelers want to deal directly with airlines, and they are doing that increasingly with mobile apps. Airline websites remained the most popular booking preference at 31 percent, but this was down from 37 percent in 2024. This year, web apps were the preferred choice for 19% of travellers, trending upwards from the 16 percent in 2024. This move was led by younger travellers, indicating that the trend of shifting to mobile options is likely to strengthen over time;
- Payment preferences are also evolving While credit and debit cards remain dominant, this marks a significant drop from 2024. Digital wallet use has increased significantly, and instant payment methods, such as IATA Pay, have also grown from six percent in 2024 to eight percent in 2025; and
- Passengers want their smartphones to do more for them 78 percent of passengers want to use a smartphone that combines a digital wallet, digital passport, and loyalty cards to book, pay, and navigate airport processes. Use of electronic bag tags is also on the rise, increasing from 28 percent in 2024 to 35 percent this year, allowing passengers to generate their bag tags directly from a mobile device during check-in.
Biometric adoption on a rapid rise
Likewise, the use of biometrics at airports is expanding and passenger satisfaction with biometrics has reached its highest level yet.
- Half of passengers have used biometrics at some point in their airport journey, up from 46 percent in 2024. Usage is most common at security, exit immigration, and entry immigration. Notably, biometric use has risen by nearly 20 percentage points since 2022;
- Passengers who have used biometrics report high levels of satisfaction with 85% saying they are happy with the experience;
- 74 percent of travellers say they would be willing to share their biometric information if it means they can skip showing a passport or boarding pass at checkpoints like check-in, security, border control, and boarding; and
- Privacy remains a concern, but there is room to build trust; 42 percent of passengers who are currently unwilling to share their biometric info say they would reconsider if data privacy was assured.
According to Careen: “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, travelers, governments, and airlines will all see the benefits of digital identity with an experience that is even more convenient, efficient, and secure.”
Trends per region
Africa
African passengers value the human touch; they are most likely to book through airline offices or call centers.
Their satisfaction levels are among the highest globally, ranking second overall.
However, they face the greatest border challenges, with visa and immigration complexity cited as key barriers; simplifying these processes could unlock major growth.
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific travelers are the most digitally savvy, with the highest overall satisfaction levels among global travelers.
They lead in using mobile apps and digital wallets to book and pay for travel, and are the least likely to use credit cards.
Asian travellers are also among the most frequent users of biometrics, though their satisfaction with these experiences is the lowest.
This tech-forward group expects ever faster and more seamless journeys.
Europe
European passengers are the most traditional and cautious: they prefer to book directly through airline websites and typically pay by credit or debit cards.
They are the least likely of all regions to have used biometrics in the past year and remain more hesitant to share data in advance or replace travel documents with digital identification.
Despite this cautious approach to technology, European travelers rank as the fourth most satisfied globally.
North America
North American travellers prioritise convenience above all else.
They are the most likely to choose flights based on total journey time and fewer layovers, and they rely heavily on airline websites for booking.
Despite this focus on convenience, they are among the least satisfied travelers globally, ranking second from last across all regions.
Biometrics are widely used, but privacy concerns are the strongest globally; that said, efficiency and trust in data security are top priorities for this region.
Latin America & the Caribbean
Latin American and Caribbean travelers value personal interaction when booking and prefer to pay with credit or debit cards.
They are more likely than any other region to obtain visas from a consulate or embassy.
While they use biometrics less frequently, they show strong willingness to adopt the technology and report high satisfaction when they do.
Personal service and convenience are top priorities for this region; yet overall, they are the least satisfied travellers globally.
Middle East
Loyalty matters to Middle East passengers: they favour airports with strong service reputations and their preferred airlines.
They are highly digitally engaged, with widespread use of digital wallets and strong enthusiasm for smartphone-based travel credentials.
Middle Eastern travellers are also among the most satisfied travelers globally, ranking third overall.
Indeed, loyalty and service quality remain top priorities in this region.
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Source: traveldailymedia