Survey: 4 out of 5 American Travelers Embrace Biometrics Use at Airport Security

Following record-breaking air travel over Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Travel Association along with Ipsos released survey results underscoring traveler preference of biometric technology screening to keep air passengers safe and provide greater efficiency at airport 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 include:

• The majority of air travelers (79%), Americans (78%), Democrats (80%), and Republicans (76%) support the use of biometrics at TSA security checkpoints to confirm the identity of travelers.
• Nearly all Americans (92%) and air travelers (95%) agree that verifying traveler identity is an important measure taken by TSA to protect the flying public.
• Nine in 10 air travelers say they would be more likely or equally likely to support biometric use at TSA security checkpoints if it reduced the typical time it takes to get through security.
• Supporters of TSA biometrics primarily list stopping terrorism and human trafficking (71%) and making airports safer (66%) as their reasons for supporting biometric use at TSA security checkpoints – even above travel efficiency and wait times.
• More than half of Americans say they are more likely to support the use of biometrics at TSA security checkpoints knowing the data would:
• Be deleted within hours of the completed trip,
• Be used to stop terrorism,
• Have safeguards in place to ensure biometric data is not shared 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.”

U.S. Travel’s Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, chaired by former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, has embarked on a year-long study to improve U.S. global competitiveness and increase travel security and efficiency. A report and recommendations are expected this fall.