Airlines, Airports Accelerate AI Passenger Experience

Airlines and airports are racing to adopt AI to reboot the AI passenger experience.

From booking to boarding, carriers and terminals across the US and Europe are rolling out automation and artificial intelligence to match rising traveler expectations. Delta Air Lines (IATA: DL, ICAO: DAL) has introduced an AI-powered digital concierge to help travelers manage bookings and get personalized trip updates, while other operators pursue chatbots and predictive tools to cut friction at every touchpoint.

Airports are also upgrading infrastructure: biometric screening gates, contactless self-service kiosks and automated bag-drop points are moving from trials into day-to-day operations. These systems aim to reduce queues and speed passenger flows without sacrificing security, and they increasingly rely on computer vision and machine-learning models running in real time.

Why the AI passenger experience matters

Operators say the push is about efficiency and personalization. With passenger volumes bouncing back and schedules tight, AI helps airlines and airports allocate staff, predict congestion and deliver targeted alerts to passengers. But deployment is being balanced with oversight: US and European regulators are engaging with industry to align safety, privacy and interoperability standards before full-scale rollouts.

• Streamlined booking and real-time updates
• Faster processing with biometric screening
• Self-service kiosks and automated bag drop
• Personalized support — improving the AI passenger experience

Expect incremental changes over months rather than overnight transformations. Early adopters focus on specific pain points (check-in, security, customer support) and expand once systems prove reliable. For travelers, that should mean fewer delays standing in line and more tailored services on mobile devices and at the gate.