After a surge in air travel during the Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Travel Association in partnership with Ipsos revealed findings from a recent survey highlighting a strong preference among travelers for biometric technology to enhance safety and increase efficiency at airport security checkpoints.

“By overwhelming margins, air travelers support TSA’s use of biometric technology at airports to strengthen security and improve the travel experience,” said Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO. “Travelers embrace next-generation technology at the same time a small cadre of members of Congress seek to take air travel back to the Dark Ages. Further efforts to harm the travel experience by forcing antiquated approaches upon travelers will have consequences among voters.” 

Key findings reveal:

• A significant majority of air travelers (79%), Americans (78%), Democrats (80%), and Republicans (76%) back the use of biometric technology at TSA checkpoints for confirming traveler identities.
• Nearly all respondents, including 92% of Americans and 95% of air travelers, agree that verifying traveler identity is a critical safety measure implemented by the TSA.
• Nine out of 10 air travelers indicate they would be equally or more supportive of biometric technology at TSA checkpoints if it helped shorten security wait times.
• The primary reasons cited by TSA biometric supporters include preventing terrorism and human trafficking (71%) and enhancing airport safety (66%), surpassing concerns over travel efficiency or reducing wait times.
• Over half of Americans express increased support for biometric use at TSA checkpoints when they know the data will be:
• Deleted within hours after the trip is completed,
• Utilized to combat terrorism,
• Protected with safeguards to prevent sharing with other government agencies.

“These results emphasize the important work of our Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, which is closely examining the use of biometrics to strengthen security, improve the passenger experience and protect privacy,” Freeman added. “Given the decade of major global sporting events announced for the United States and knowing a vast majority of travelers prefer biometric screening, Washington must act to fund and widely utilize this technology at our nation’s airports to welcome and process millions of people who are expected to visit in coming years.”

The U.S. Travel’s Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, led by former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, has initiated a year-long investigation aimed at enhancing U.S. global competitiveness while boosting travel security and efficiency. The commission is set to release its report and recommendations later this fall.

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