Airline passengers are still focused on convenience and speed when they travel, the International Air Transport Association (IATA – the global representative body for the airline industry) has reported. This is the core finding of IATA’s 2024 Global Passenger Survey.

“Passengers want flexibility and transparency when planning and booking travel, plus speed and convenience at the airport,” highlights IATA senior VP operations, safety and security Nick Careen. “More are embracing biometrics, digital wallets, and off-airport processes to make it happen."

Young people, under the age of 25, particularly want to use technology to improve their travel experiences, but they are concerned about security. Thus, 51% would use digital wallets to pay for their tickets, whereas the global average figure is 20%. No less than 90% are interested in using digital wallet, passport and loyalty cards, loaded onto smartphones, to book and pay for their flights and to navigate through the airports; the global average figure is 77%. And 50% of young people would be more accepting of biometric solutions if they could be sure of the security of doing so; while the global average is 39%.

Overall results, embracing all age groups of travellers, include 60% selecting distance from their home as the top priority, when deciding on their departure airport, with minimising total travel time coming second (selected by 33%) and then obtaining the lowest ticket price (25%). Regarding booking, 71% report that they booked online or through a mobile app, with 53% preferring to use an airline website or app. Human interaction is preferred by only 16%. The option of having all travel information consolidated in one place was selected by 32% of respondents. Regarding payment, 79% use credit or debit cards (an 8 percentage points (ppt) increase over last year’s figure), with, in second place digital wallets, at (as already mentioned above) 20% -- a 2 ppt rise over 2023; instant payment solutions are the preference of 7% (3 ppt higher than last year).

“Technology continues to change the way people plan, book and pay for travel,” points out IATA senior VP financial settlement and distribution services Muhammad Albakri. “Travellers expect the same conveniences when shopping for travel that they get in any other online shopping experience. That means simplicity, clarity, and with options to meet their preferences while keeping their data secure. The industry is stepping up to meet the demand for greater customer centricity through IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing initiative. Passengers will experience its positive impact progressively in the very near future.”

“The clear message from travellers is that they expect to board their planes faster with technology and smarter processes beginning well before they reach the airport,” reports Careen. “And the good news is that we are making this happen. Already travellers can arrive at the airport ready to fly with admissibility checks completed. And biometrics and digital identity once at the airport.”