Contactless travel using digital identity is technically achievable today, according to results from a series of Proofs of Concept (PoCs) published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on April 8, 2026. The tests involved airlines, airports, technology providers, and governments across Europe and Asia-Pacific.
The PoCs showed that biometric verification and mobile wallet-based digital identity can replace paper documentation throughout a passenger journey. Notably, the tests confirmed that systems from different providers can work together across borders, covering multiple carriers and different digital identity wallets.
What the PoCs Tested
Three separate PoCs each examined a different aspect of digital identity in air travel. The first, run by Japan Airlines across Tokyo Haneda, Hong Kong, and a European airport, had passengers share identity data in advance via digital wallets, enabling biometric processing at departure and transfer points. A “tap-and-go” solution replaced biometric pre-sharing at the European end.
Air New Zealand tested an airline-managed digital wallet on its Auckland to Hong Kong route. Passengers shared identity data during booking and check-in, allowing remote biometric enrolment and contactless processing at airport and customs touchpoints. The third PoC, conducted by IndiGo in Bengaluru, demonstrated that national programs such as India’s Digi Yatra and international wallet credentials can operate within a single journey, from airport entry to boarding.
Contactless Travel Systems Proved Interoperable
The PoCs used several digital wallets, including Air New Zealand Wallet, Apple Wallet, Digi Yatra, Face Express by NEC, Google Wallet, Multipaz (open-source), and SITA Wallet. Technology providers involved included Amadeus, Branchspace, Hopae, NEC, SICPA, and SITA. The tests were built on IATA’s One ID standards alongside ISO, OpenID, and W3C international standards.
Wallets tested included Digital ID in Apple Wallet for US passport holders and Google ID Pass for UK and US passport holders. These results confirm that interoperability across providers is sufficiently advanced for real-world deployment.
IATA Calls on Governments to Act
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the results prove that digital identity for international travel works securely and efficiently. However, he said wider adoption depends on government action to issue and accept Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs), which are secure digital versions of passports.
“We have proven that digital identity for international travel works securely and efficiently. For travelers to benefit from this important modernization, governments must accelerate efforts to issue and accept Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs). The result will be stronger security, smoother journeys, and greater efficiency.”
Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA
Walsh added that sharing identity data in advance would allow checks to be completed earlier, reducing document handling at airports and cutting queues. He said the next step is for governments to put frameworks in place to integrate digital identity into global travel processes.
Three Steps for Government Adoption
IATA outlined three areas requiring coordinated government action. First, governments must establish the legal, operational, and technical foundations to issue DTCs as part of national digital identity programs. Second, border, visa, and travel-authorization systems must be ready to accept and verify DTCs issued by other states.
Third, governments must work with industry and international organizations to enable interoperable use of DTCs at a global scale. IATA noted that paper-based alternatives will remain available to ensure accessibility for all travelers. The PoCs were designed to align with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) DTC framework, where passport data is captured from a physical document, stored in a mobile wallet, and linked to the traveler via biometric verification.
IATA represents over 360 airlines, accounting for approximately 85% of global air traffic. The organization said government-issued DTCs delivered directly to a traveler’s device represent the next step in scaling secure, interoperable digital identity for global travel.
