European travelers showed lower willingness than global respondents to use biometric airport checks and digital passports, while immigration requirements deterred trips, according to an International Air Transport Association (IATA) survey released Oct. 28.
The survey found 70% of European respondents would share biometric data at airport checkpoints if doing so allowed them to avoid showing a passport or boarding pass. That compared with 78% of respondents worldwide. Interest in using a digital passport for online check-in reached 79% in Europe and 84% globally. The Middle East recorded the highest shares for both measures, at 84% for biometric data sharing and 91% for digital passports.
IATA also found that 47% of European respondents said they had experienced biometrics during an airport trip in the previous 12 months, up 6 percentage points from 2025. The global figure was 58%, up 8 points from 2025 and 24 points from 2022. “More passengers are experiencing biometrics during their travels. They like it and want more,” said Nick Careen, IATA senior vice president for operations, safety and security.
Use of artificial intelligence for travel planning was less common in Europe: 35% of respondents there said they had used it, compared with 49% globally and 72% in the Middle East. Across respondents, IATA said the leading concerns about biometrics were data breaches, cited by 59%; information sharing with other organizations, cited by 49%; and unclear handling of personal information, cited by 41%.
Immigration requirements had deterred 38% of European respondents from visiting a destination, compared with 43% globally. The global share rose from 33% in 2025. Among respondents deterred by immigration requirements, 53% cited complexity, while privacy and cost each drew 17%.
Respondents also showed interest in digital immigration procedures. Some 86% said they were likely to share immigration information digitally before departure. Meanwhile, 60% preferred applying for visas online, while 25% preferred applying in person at a consulate or embassy. IATA said more than 100 countries issue electronic visas and urged governments to adopt common verification standards to help airlines check them efficiently.
