The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has proven the viability of a fully digital air travel experience, marking a major milestone in the aviation industry’s journey toward seamless digitalization.
The successful demonstration, conducted on a round-trip between Hong Kong and Tokyo, involved two travelers using different digital wallets and travel credentials in a live airport environment.
IATA collaborated with numerous partners, including Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong International Airport, Narita International Airport, and technology providers such as Branchspace, Facephi, NEC, Neoke, Northern Block, and SICPA. The trial, held on October 21 and 22, aimed to showcase the efficiency of a digital travel system powered by digital identity and biometrics, allowing passengers to complete their journey without needing to repeatedly show physical travel documents.
The proof-of-concept (PoC) tested real-world scenarios, building upon a previous PoC conducted in a controlled environment in 2023. In this latest trial, two passengers used digital wallets containing essential travel credentials—such as digital passports, company IDs, and frequent flyer credentials—to manage their journey from start to finish. This included receiving personalized offers, booking their flights, checking in, securing a visa, and receiving boarding passes, all without traditional document checks. Instead, they used biometric identification throughout the airport processes, such as bag drop, security checks, and boarding.
Successful Use of Digital Travel Credentials
The PoC incorporated seven verifiable credentials (VCs), including ePassport copies, live biometric images, visa copies, company IDs, frequent flyer memberships, orders, and boarding passes. These credentials were stored in two digital wallets and verified through a trust registry system that confirmed the legitimacy of the credential issuers. This trial demonstrated that digital travel credentials can be integrated seamlessly with existing airport and airline systems, offering a highly personalized, efficient, and secure travel experience.
One of the significant achievements of this trial was the use of biometric identification to replace traditional document checks at various airport stages. This allowed travelers to move smoothly through checkpoints, consenting to share their biometric data stored in their digital wallets to complete each step of their journey.
Industry Standards and Interoperability
The successful demonstration underscored the readiness of the aviation industry to adopt a fully digital travel experience. IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing vision and One ID standards were at the core of this PoC, showcasing how industry-wide standards can improve the customer experience while maintaining harmonization with existing airline and airport processes.
Critical to the trial’s success was the use of Verifiable Credentials (VCs) for live biometric and boarding pass VCs, which were developed and tested this year. Additionally, a Visa VC was utilized, demonstrating the ability to conduct paperless visa checks, further simplifying the travel process. The draft Technical Guidance for Digitalization of Admissibility was also successfully used as a baseline to ensure interoperability across the systems.
This successful use of multiple VC issuers, verifiers, and wallets by the two travelers validated the flexibility and robustness of the digital identity technology across different jurisdictions and travel stages. At both Hong Kong International Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport, the systems integrated smoothly with existing biometric systems, proving that the technology is ready to be implemented in real-world travel environments.
Trusted Issuer Registry
Another key aspect of the PoC was the successful testing of the Trusted Issuer Registry. This system plays a critical role in verifying that a travel credential, such as a digital passport or visa, was issued by a trusted and verified entity. The seamless integration of this system further demonstrated that digital credentials can be used securely and reliably for international travel.
To enable widespread adoption, IATA emphasized the importance of developing an open ecosystem where both public and private sector credential issuers can participate. This will be essential for the long-term success of digital travel credentials as more countries and airlines begin to adopt digital identity systems based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
IATA’s Vision for the Future
This pilot marks a significant step toward the future of air travel, where digital identity and biometrics will enhance the passenger experience by offering a more personalized, secure, and efficient journey. As Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security, explained, “A seamless fully digital travel experience powered by digital identity and biometrics has moved from theory to proven reality.”
Governments and industry stakeholders are moving rapidly to adopt digital travel credentials. Europe, for example, plans to issue Digital Identity Wallets to its citizens and residents by 2027, setting the stage for more widespread use of digital travel systems in the near future.
IATA Data and Technology Hub
The Hong Kong–Tokyo PoC was developed through IATA’s Data and Technology Hub, which brings together industry partners from across the travel value chain to develop new technologies and solutions for the aviation industry. The goal is to help the sector generate value and overcome challenges as it transitions towards a digital future.
The successful PoC demonstrates that the aviation industry is not only ready for the digital travel experience but also poised to deliver it in the very near future. With the continued collaboration between airlines, airports, technology providers, and governments, the future of seamless, fully digital travel is closer than ever before.
