A digital journey pass is being proposed.
Airlines and airports around the world are shifting from physical boarding passes to digital ones—but soon, travelers might not need them at all. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has announced a major overhaul in air travel procedures. The United Nations agency that sets global aviation standards plans to eliminate both physical and digital boarding passes. Instead, passengers would download essential travel credentials to their smartphones and use facial recognition technology to board flights.
Currently, boarding a flight requires passengers to check in—either online, at a kiosk, or at an airport counter—to receive a boarding pass. That pass is then scanned at security checkpoints, boarding gates, and sometimes in airline lounges. Under ICAO’s proposal, a “digital travel credential” would replace the traditional process. Passengers could upload their passports to their smartphones and use facial recognition to move through the airport. Airlines would be automatically notified once a passenger’s face is scanned.
The number of airline passengers is expected to double to 8 billion by 2040. Adopting digital-first solutions could speed up airport operations. ICAO also aims to enhance airport security through biometric verification, which could reduce instances of fraud and human trafficking.
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Valérie Viale of travel tech company Amadeus told The Times that the last large-scale aviation upgrade was e-ticketing in the 2000s. “Many airline systems haven’t changed for more than 50 years because everything has to be consistent across the industry and interoperable,” said Viale, director of product management.
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Ryanair, a longtime opponent of physical boarding passes, already charges travelers extra to print them at airports. The airline plans to eliminate paper passes entirely, requiring all passengers to present digital versions.
Facial Recognition in Practice
Biometric technology is already in use at airports around the world. In Dubai, travelers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries or those with a visa on arrival and a biometric passport can opt for contactless immigration via smart gates. Passengers can also board flights without a boarding pass using facial scanners.
Similarly, Singapore’s Changi Airport has implemented automated, passport-free immigration checks at departure gates for citizens and long-term residents. Foreign nationals can use the system when departing, as their biometric data is recorded upon arrival. The process reduces clearance time to just 10 seconds.
Star Alliance also offers a facial recognition system that lets passengers go through security and board flights without showing a boarding pass. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines are among the carriers participating in the program.
While the technology is expanding rapidly, it comes with caveats. Biometric data raises serious concerns around privacy and surveillance. Risks include data breaches and a lack of transparency. Travelers should be informed about where their data is stored, how long it is retained, and who it is shared with. Can they opt out or have their data deleted?
Fully digital, paperless airports will also require significant infrastructure upgrades, which could delay adoption at smaller hubs. And travelers without smartphones may be left behind. There will still need to be backup options in case of technological failures.
ICAO aims to implement these changes within three years but emphasizes that participation will be optional. For now, traditional boarding passes remain the standard.
