Your Face Is Becoming Your Boarding Pass—But Here’s the Part Nobody Tells You: You’re Still Re-Enrolling at Every Airport in 2026
Biometric lanes are real—but the U.S. built them as separate TSA, CBP, and airline systems. So the “one identity everywhere” promise still breaks the moment you change airports or carriers.
By TheMurrow Editorial
May 24, 2026
Key Points
- 1Recognize the core problem: U.S. airport biometrics are separate TSA, CBP, and airline systems—so interoperability still isn’t the default in 2026.
- 2Expect conditional “touchless” access: availability varies by airport, airline participation, and profile prerequisites—creating the feeling of re-enrolling across trips.
- 3Use your leverage: TSA says you can decline facial comparison without recourse, while industry guidance (IATA One ID) demands portable identity, not siloed pilots.
The ad sounds irresistible: walk into the airport, look up, keep moving. No rummaging for a driver’s license. No last-minute boarding-pass panic. “Your face is your boarding pass,” the slogan goes—frictionless, contactless, and finally modern.
Yet in 2026, plenty of frequent flyers still report the opposite: re-enrolling, re-confirming, or re-explaining themselves at airports that supposedly “support” biometrics. A traveler who breezed through one terminal last month may be sent back to the familiar choreography—ID out, boarding pass up, repeat—at a different airport next week.
A promise that feels universal—until it doesn’t
The reason isn’t that biometrics “don’t work.” Often, they work exactly as designed at a specific checkpoint. The deeper issue is more mundane and more consequential: the United States has built biometric air travel as a patchwork of separate systems, governed by different agencies and business rules. Interoperability—the idea that one enrollment follows you everywhere—remains an aspiration, not a baseline.
“The promise wasn’t just faster lines. The promise was one identity that works everywhere. That’s not what most travelers are experiencing.”
— — TheMurrow Editorial
The Big Promise: “One ID” and the frictionless journey
Industry groups have pitched biometric travel as a simple trade: you give a face scan, you get time back. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) frames the destination as One ID—a travel experience where passengers can move through checkpoints with a verified identity and without repeated document checks, often described as “tokenless” or “digital identity.” IATA’s public materials emphasize that the real goal is interoperability, not one-off pilots that function only at isolated locations. (IATA, One ID program)
That distinction matters because a biometric lane that works only after you enroll with a specific airline, at a specific airport, under a specific program, is still a lane—just not a system. IATA explicitly warns that solutions requiring separate enrollment at each location are not aligned with One ID recommendations. In other words, “your face is your boarding pass” is not the same as “your face works at this one checkpoint under these conditions.”
That distinction matters because a biometric lane that works only after you enroll with a specific airline, at a specific airport, under a specific program, is still a lane—just not a system. IATA explicitly warns that solutions requiring separate enrollment at each location are not aligned with One ID recommendations. In other words, “your face is your boarding pass” is not the same as “your face works at this one checkpoint under these conditions.”
The gap travelers feel in 2026
The American traveler’s lived reality in 2026 reflects that gap. Biometric touchpoints exist across U.S. aviation, but they are not always connected to one another:
- TSA uses facial comparison at domestic security checkpoints through modernized ID-check equipment.
- CBP uses facial comparison for international entry and, increasingly, exit workflows.
- Airlines may wrap certain biometric features into loyalty accounts and apps—sometimes as prerequisites for “touchless” experiences.
The result is a familiar frustration: a technology marketed as universal that, in practice, feels conditional. Not because of a single technical failure, but because “biometrics” in air travel is not one thing.
- TSA uses facial comparison at domestic security checkpoints through modernized ID-check equipment.
- CBP uses facial comparison for international entry and, increasingly, exit workflows.
- Airlines may wrap certain biometric features into loyalty accounts and apps—sometimes as prerequisites for “touchless” experiences.
The result is a familiar frustration: a technology marketed as universal that, in practice, feels conditional. Not because of a single technical failure, but because “biometrics” in air travel is not one thing.
Why the mismatch persists
A smooth biometric experience depends on multiple prerequisites lining up at once—hardware at the checkpoint, software integration, airport operations, airline participation, and a traveler’s eligibility. When any piece is missing, the system falls back to the old routine. Travelers experience that as inconsistency; policymakers and operators experience it as cautious, incremental deployment.
Two regimes, one confusing experience: TSA vs. CBP
Most passengers talk about “facial recognition at the airport” as if it’s a single program. Operationally, it’s at least two distinct regimes with different purposes, rules, and opt-out experiences: TSA at security and CBP at the border.
TSA at security: facial comparison at the ID podium
TSA describes its use at security checkpoints as “facial comparison technology.” The common setup is a 1:1 match: a live photo captured at the podium is compared to the photo on your physical ID to verify identity for access to screening. (TSA facial comparison technology factsheet)
TSA also states that participation is optional: travelers may decline the photo “without recourse” and use an alternative identity verification process that does not involve facial comparison. TSA communications around deployments emphasize signage and optionality. A 2024 TSA press release about Seattle (SEA) described that the photo captured is used for immediate verification and, per TSA’s statement, is not stored beyond that step. (TSA SEA press release, Oct. 16, 2024)
That optionality is central to how TSA frames the program: identity verification at the checkpoint—not a generalized surveillance operation. Critics may still worry about normalization and expansion of biometrics in routine domestic travel, but TSA’s public posture is consistent: facial comparison is a tool for the ID check, and the traveler can opt out. (TSA factsheet)
TSA also states that participation is optional: travelers may decline the photo “without recourse” and use an alternative identity verification process that does not involve facial comparison. TSA communications around deployments emphasize signage and optionality. A 2024 TSA press release about Seattle (SEA) described that the photo captured is used for immediate verification and, per TSA’s statement, is not stored beyond that step. (TSA SEA press release, Oct. 16, 2024)
That optionality is central to how TSA frames the program: identity verification at the checkpoint—not a generalized surveillance operation. Critics may still worry about normalization and expansion of biometrics in routine domestic travel, but TSA’s public posture is consistent: facial comparison is a tool for the ID check, and the traveler can opt out. (TSA factsheet)
CBP at international entry/exit: Traveler Verification Service (TVS)
CBP’s system is different in both scope and mission. CBP’s Traveler Verification Service (TVS) underpins biometric entry and exit processes in air, land, and sea environments, according to DHS documentation. (DHS/CBP PIA-056 TVS)
CBP publishes an “airports with biometrics” page that conveys the scale of its footprint. In the version available in recent months, CBP stated facial comparison was used for entry at 238 airports, including all 14 Preclearance locations, and 49 locations for international air departures. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
Those are big numbers—and they help explain why travelers often assume biometrics are already “everywhere.” But CBP’s reach at international processing doesn’t automatically translate to seamless domestic travel. TSA security, airline boarding, and CBP border processes operate under different frameworks, even if they feel like a single journey to the passenger.
CBP publishes an “airports with biometrics” page that conveys the scale of its footprint. In the version available in recent months, CBP stated facial comparison was used for entry at 238 airports, including all 14 Preclearance locations, and 49 locations for international air departures. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
Those are big numbers—and they help explain why travelers often assume biometrics are already “everywhere.” But CBP’s reach at international processing doesn’t automatically translate to seamless domestic travel. TSA security, airline boarding, and CBP border processes operate under different frameworks, even if they feel like a single journey to the passenger.
“Passengers experience ‘biometrics’ as one phenomenon. The airport runs it as separate systems with separate rules.”
— — TheMurrow Editorial
The hidden mechanics behind “re-enrolling at every airport”
The re-enrollment complaint usually isn’t literally about typing in your name again at every terminal. It’s about the number of gates—technical, operational, and administrative—that sit behind a supposedly simple face scan.
A biometric checkpoint is only as frictionless as the prerequisites behind it. In the U.S., those prerequisites often differ by airport, airline, and program. IATA points out that requiring separate enrollment at each location runs counter to the interoperability goal. (IATA One ID)
In practice, travelers run into a few recurring tripwires:
- Airport-by-airport availability. A program may exist at one airport but not another.
- Airline participation. Some touchless experiences are tied to airline systems rather than airport-wide identity.
- Eligibility and profile requirements. Enrollment may depend on a traveler’s documentation on file or membership in a loyalty program.
Those tripwires are especially visible in TSA’s “touchless” experiments for PreCheck travelers, which are often described as convenient but also conditional.
A biometric checkpoint is only as frictionless as the prerequisites behind it. In the U.S., those prerequisites often differ by airport, airline, and program. IATA points out that requiring separate enrollment at each location runs counter to the interoperability goal. (IATA One ID)
In practice, travelers run into a few recurring tripwires:
- Airport-by-airport availability. A program may exist at one airport but not another.
- Airline participation. Some touchless experiences are tied to airline systems rather than airport-wide identity.
- Eligibility and profile requirements. Enrollment may depend on a traveler’s documentation on file or membership in a loyalty program.
Those tripwires are especially visible in TSA’s “touchless” experiments for PreCheck travelers, which are often described as convenient but also conditional.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: optional, evaluated, and conditional
TSA maintains a page describing its evaluation and field demonstrations of facial identification technology, including what data is collected during demonstrations and how travelers can opt out and use standard processes instead. (TSA biometrics technology evaluation page)
That framing—evaluation and field demonstration—signals the present tense of U.S. biometrics: deployment is real, but the experience can vary. Even where a “touchless” lane exists, it may require certain account configurations or partner integrations to work smoothly.
When travelers describe “having to re-enroll,” they are often experiencing the difference between a biometric capability and a portable biometric identity. The former is a lane at a checkpoint. The latter is a system that follows the traveler across airports and airlines. The U.S. has more of the first than the second.
That framing—evaluation and field demonstration—signals the present tense of U.S. biometrics: deployment is real, but the experience can vary. Even where a “touchless” lane exists, it may require certain account configurations or partner integrations to work smoothly.
When travelers describe “having to re-enroll,” they are often experiencing the difference between a biometric capability and a portable biometric identity. The former is a lane at a checkpoint. The latter is a system that follows the traveler across airports and airlines. The U.S. has more of the first than the second.
A concrete case study: Touchless ID tied to airline profiles
One reason the biometric experience feels uneven is that some of the most consumer-visible “touchless” options are not simply “turn it on once.” They are often wrapped into airline ecosystems, where identity and travel credentials are stored in customer profiles.
TSA’s own materials describe demonstrations of facial identification technology and reiterate opt-out options. Airlines, meanwhile, may require passengers to take extra steps—steps that feel like “enrollment”—to activate a touchless experience.
American Airlines provides a useful example because it publicly spells out the gating criteria: to opt in, a traveler must be an AAdvantage member, save a Known Traveler Number (KTN) and a valid passport to their profile, opt in through account settings, and use the app. (American Airlines consumer-facing guidance referenced in the research notes)
Those requirements make operational sense: a touchless identity flow needs reliable linkage between the traveler and the credential set. But they also explain the traveler’s frustration. If touchless access depends on a particular airline profile, the experience is not truly airport-wide. Switch airlines—or travel through an airport with different equipment—and the workflow changes.
TSA’s own materials describe demonstrations of facial identification technology and reiterate opt-out options. Airlines, meanwhile, may require passengers to take extra steps—steps that feel like “enrollment”—to activate a touchless experience.
American Airlines provides a useful example because it publicly spells out the gating criteria: to opt in, a traveler must be an AAdvantage member, save a Known Traveler Number (KTN) and a valid passport to their profile, opt in through account settings, and use the app. (American Airlines consumer-facing guidance referenced in the research notes)
Those requirements make operational sense: a touchless identity flow needs reliable linkage between the traveler and the credential set. But they also explain the traveler’s frustration. If touchless access depends on a particular airline profile, the experience is not truly airport-wide. Switch airlines—or travel through an airport with different equipment—and the workflow changes.
What “enrollment” really means to the traveler
From an operations perspective, enrollment can mean “consent recorded and identity bound to a digital credential.” From a passenger’s perspective, it means:
- Remembering which airline account you used
- Ensuring your KTN and passport are saved correctly
- Confirming you opted in (and that the opt-in persisted)
- Discovering at the airport whether the lane is available today
That’s not an argument against biometrics. It’s an argument for clarity. If a program requires airline-specific setup, the marketing should not suggest a universal “your face is your boarding pass” experience across the entire airport system.
- Remembering which airline account you used
- Ensuring your KTN and passport are saved correctly
- Confirming you opted in (and that the opt-in persisted)
- Discovering at the airport whether the lane is available today
That’s not an argument against biometrics. It’s an argument for clarity. If a program requires airline-specific setup, the marketing should not suggest a universal “your face is your boarding pass” experience across the entire airport system.
“If touchless travel depends on a loyalty profile and a specific airport lane, it isn’t ‘universal.’ It’s conditional convenience.”
— — TheMurrow Editorial
The scale story: CBP’s wide footprint—and why it doesn’t solve domestic friction
CBP’s numbers are the strongest evidence that facial comparison at airports is not speculative. CBP reports biometric entry operations at 238 airports, including 14 Preclearance sites, and biometric support at 49 international departure locations. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
That footprint shapes traveler expectations. Many people encounter facial comparison when returning from abroad or boarding an international departure and assume the same identity layer should carry through the domestic airport journey. Yet CBP’s mission is border management: verifying identity for entry and tracking exit in accordance with its authorities and operational goals.
Domestic checkpoints are another matter. TSA’s use case is identity verification for access to screening at the security checkpoint, not border control. (TSA facial comparison factsheet) Airline boarding, meanwhile, sits at the intersection of airline operations and government requirements, and the underlying identity checks may not be harmonized with either TSA’s checkpoint process or CBP’s border process.
That footprint shapes traveler expectations. Many people encounter facial comparison when returning from abroad or boarding an international departure and assume the same identity layer should carry through the domestic airport journey. Yet CBP’s mission is border management: verifying identity for entry and tracking exit in accordance with its authorities and operational goals.
Domestic checkpoints are another matter. TSA’s use case is identity verification for access to screening at the security checkpoint, not border control. (TSA facial comparison factsheet) Airline boarding, meanwhile, sits at the intersection of airline operations and government requirements, and the underlying identity checks may not be harmonized with either TSA’s checkpoint process or CBP’s border process.
A practical implication for travelers
A traveler can experience biometrics on the same day and still feel whiplash:
- Face scan at an international departure gate supported by CBP’s ecosystem
- A separate face comparison (or a manual ID check) at domestic security
- Traditional boarding pass checks on a domestic segment, depending on airline and airport
The takeaway is not that the technology is failing. The takeaway is that the U.S. has scaled biometric touchpoints faster than it has scaled a unified biometric identity experience.
- Face scan at an international departure gate supported by CBP’s ecosystem
- A separate face comparison (or a manual ID check) at domestic security
- Traditional boarding pass checks on a domestic segment, depending on airline and airport
The takeaway is not that the technology is failing. The takeaway is that the U.S. has scaled biometric touchpoints faster than it has scaled a unified biometric identity experience.
Privacy, consent, and trust: why optionality matters
Biometric systems live or die on trust. TSA acknowledges this directly by emphasizing optional participation and an opt-out pathway at the checkpoint. The agency’s factsheet states travelers may decline the photo without recourse and use an alternative identity verification process. (TSA facial comparison factsheet)
That opt-out promise is doing more than addressing privacy concerns; it is also a pressure valve for operational inconsistency. When a biometric system is optional, it can coexist with legacy processes. That helps deployments expand without forcing every traveler into a single workflow on day one.
Still, the tradeoffs are real. Even if photos are not stored beyond immediate verification, as TSA has stated in specific deployment communications, passengers may worry about normalization: once biometric capture becomes routine, it can be expanded later. Critics also worry about accountability when multiple actors—airports, airlines, and government agencies—participate in different parts of the journey.
That opt-out promise is doing more than addressing privacy concerns; it is also a pressure valve for operational inconsistency. When a biometric system is optional, it can coexist with legacy processes. That helps deployments expand without forcing every traveler into a single workflow on day one.
Still, the tradeoffs are real. Even if photos are not stored beyond immediate verification, as TSA has stated in specific deployment communications, passengers may worry about normalization: once biometric capture becomes routine, it can be expanded later. Critics also worry about accountability when multiple actors—airports, airlines, and government agencies—participate in different parts of the journey.
The reader’s checklist at the checkpoint
For travelers who want clarity and control, a few principles follow directly from the documented policies:
- Ask if the face scan is optional. TSA’s public position is that it is.
- Look for signage. TSA emphasizes posted signage during deployments.
- Know you can opt out at TSA. TSA states “without recourse,” meaning you should still be allowed to proceed using another method.
The larger question is cultural as much as technical: how quickly should biometric identity become the default for routine domestic movement? Even supporters of biometrics often argue that consent and transparency must be strong, precisely because the technology is powerful.
- Ask if the face scan is optional. TSA’s public position is that it is.
- Look for signage. TSA emphasizes posted signage during deployments.
- Know you can opt out at TSA. TSA states “without recourse,” meaning you should still be allowed to proceed using another method.
The larger question is cultural as much as technical: how quickly should biometric identity become the default for routine domestic movement? Even supporters of biometrics often argue that consent and transparency must be strong, precisely because the technology is powerful.
Where the industry says it’s headed—and what’s missing
IATA’s One ID framing is an unusually clear benchmark: interoperability is the end state, and systems that demand separate enrollment at each location are not aligned with that end state. (IATA One ID)
That statement doubles as a critique of the current American reality. The U.S. can point to meaningful deployments—TSA checkpoint modernization, CBP’s TVS expansion—but travelers still encounter fragmentation because the “identity layer” is not portable across the entire journey.
That statement doubles as a critique of the current American reality. The U.S. can point to meaningful deployments—TSA checkpoint modernization, CBP’s TVS expansion—but travelers still encounter fragmentation because the “identity layer” is not portable across the entire journey.
What needs to happen for “your face is your boarding pass” to feel true
Based on the research, the missing pieces are less about better face-matching algorithms and more about governance and integration:
- Cross-stakeholder interoperability. The traveler’s identity should not be trapped in one airline’s profile or one checkpoint’s device.
- Consistent availability. A feature that exists only in select airports will always feel like a gamble.
- Clear consent and opt-out norms. TSA’s stated opt-out process is a model of the kind of explicit consumer-facing rule that builds trust.
- Better consumer truth-in-advertising. “Touchless at select locations with participating airlines” is less sexy than the slogan, but far more accurate.
None of those are quick fixes. They also aren’t optional if the industry wants travelers to stop describing biometrics as something they “have to keep re-enrolling for.”
- Cross-stakeholder interoperability. The traveler’s identity should not be trapped in one airline’s profile or one checkpoint’s device.
- Consistent availability. A feature that exists only in select airports will always feel like a gamble.
- Clear consent and opt-out norms. TSA’s stated opt-out process is a model of the kind of explicit consumer-facing rule that builds trust.
- Better consumer truth-in-advertising. “Touchless at select locations with participating airlines” is less sexy than the slogan, but far more accurate.
None of those are quick fixes. They also aren’t optional if the industry wants travelers to stop describing biometrics as something they “have to keep re-enrolling for.”
What travelers can do now (and what to expect at the airport)
A biometric future may be coming, but the present is mixed. Travelers can reduce surprises by planning for a world where biometrics are sometimes available, sometimes offered, and sometimes bound to specific systems.
Practical takeaways for your next trip
- Treat biometrics as a lane, not a guarantee. Even at airports with deployments, your exact flight and airline may matter.
- Separate TSA from CBP in your mental model. TSA is the domestic security checkpoint; CBP is international entry/exit.
- If you’re offered TSA facial comparison, remember the policy. TSA states you can decline without recourse and use another process. (TSA factsheet)
- If a touchless program is airline-linked, confirm your profile prerequisites. Some airlines require membership and stored credentials (e.g., passport and KTN) to opt in, according to consumer guidance referenced in the research notes.
The broader implication is consumer power through realism. If passengers demand interoperable identity rather than siloed pilots, they will be echoing IATA’s own stated direction of travel.
- Separate TSA from CBP in your mental model. TSA is the domestic security checkpoint; CBP is international entry/exit.
- If you’re offered TSA facial comparison, remember the policy. TSA states you can decline without recourse and use another process. (TSA factsheet)
- If a touchless program is airline-linked, confirm your profile prerequisites. Some airlines require membership and stored credentials (e.g., passport and KTN) to opt in, according to consumer guidance referenced in the research notes.
The broader implication is consumer power through realism. If passengers demand interoperable identity rather than siloed pilots, they will be echoing IATA’s own stated direction of travel.
Conclusion: The slogan is ahead of the system
“Your face is your boarding pass” works as marketing because it compresses a complicated journey into a single, elegant gesture. In the U.S. in 2026, that gesture still depends on who is running the checkpoint, which airport you’re in, and how your airline has configured its programs.
TSA’s facial comparison at security is framed as a 1:1 ID match with an opt-out pathway. CBP’s TVS is scaled broadly for international entry and increasingly for exit, with reported operations at 238 entry airports and 49 international departure locations, including 14 Preclearance sites. Those are serious deployments. They also live in different boxes.
Interoperability—the thing that would make the slogan feel true—is the missing connective tissue. IATA has said as much. Until the U.S. aviation ecosystem treats identity as portable across checkpoints and partners, travelers will keep encountering the same contradiction: biometrics that are impressive up close, and oddly provincial the moment you change terminals.
TSA’s facial comparison at security is framed as a 1:1 ID match with an opt-out pathway. CBP’s TVS is scaled broadly for international entry and increasingly for exit, with reported operations at 238 entry airports and 49 international departure locations, including 14 Preclearance sites. Those are serious deployments. They also live in different boxes.
Interoperability—the thing that would make the slogan feel true—is the missing connective tissue. IATA has said as much. Until the U.S. aviation ecosystem treats identity as portable across checkpoints and partners, travelers will keep encountering the same contradiction: biometrics that are impressive up close, and oddly provincial the moment you change terminals.
1) Why do I have to “re-enroll” for face scans at different airports?
Because U.S. airport biometrics are often deployed as separate programs—some run by TSA at security, some by CBP for international entry/exit, and some tied to airline profiles. IATA’s One ID guidance treats this as a problem: requiring separate enrollment at each location is not aligned with the interoperability goal. (IATA One ID)
2) Is TSA facial recognition mandatory at security?
TSA describes its system as facial comparison technology and states travelers may decline the optional photo without recourse and use an alternative identity verification process. (TSA facial comparison factsheet) If you prefer not to use facial comparison, you can request the non-biometric option at the checkpoint.
3) Is CBP’s face scan the same thing as TSA’s?
No. CBP uses facial comparison under its Traveler Verification Service (TVS) for international entry and exit processes. (DHS/CBP PIA-056) TSA uses facial comparison at the security podium to verify identity against your physical ID for access to screening. (TSA factsheet) They are different systems with different missions.
4) How widespread is CBP biometric processing at airports?
CBP reports a large footprint: facial comparison for entry at 238 airports, including all 14 Preclearance locations, and 49 locations for international air departures. (CBP biometrics environments: airports) Availability can still vary by airport and workflow, but the scale is significant for international travel.
5) Why do some “touchless” programs require airline accounts and profile setup?
Some touchless experiences are implemented through airline ecosystems, which can require you to store credentials (such as a passport and Known Traveler Number) and explicitly opt in. The research notes cite American Airlines’ consumer guidance requiring AAdvantage membership, a saved KTN, and a valid passport in your profile to opt in. These requirements help link identity to travel records—but they also make the experience airline-dependent.
6) Does TSA store the photo it takes at the checkpoint?
TSA communications around deployments have stated that photos captured for facial comparison are used for immediate verification and, per TSA statements in specific releases, are not stored beyond that step. (TSA SEA press release, Oct. 16, 2024) For the most current specifics, travelers should look for posted checkpoint signage and consult TSA’s official biometrics and facial comparison documentation.
238
CBP stated facial comparison was used for international entry at 238 airports, shaping expectations that biometrics are “everywhere.” (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
49
CBP also cited 49 locations supporting biometric international air departures—large scale, but not the same as domestic interoperability. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
14
CBP reported all 14 Preclearance locations use facial comparison for entry processes—another reason travelers expect a unified experience. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
1:1
TSA’s checkpoint use case is typically a 1:1 facial comparison: live photo matched to the photo on your physical ID for identity verification. (TSA factsheet)
Key Insight
The U.S. has scaled biometric touchpoints faster than it has scaled a unified biometric identity experience—so the slogan outruns the system.
Editor’s Note
Where TSA facial comparison is offered at security, TSA states participation is optional and you may decline the photo “without recourse.” (TSA facial comparison factsheet)
Checkpoint reality check
- ✓Treat biometrics as a lane, not a guarantee
- ✓Separate TSA (security) from CBP (border) in your mental model
- ✓Ask if the face scan is optional and look for signage
- ✓If an airline-linked touchless program is offered, verify your profile prerequisites
T
About the Author
TheMurrow Editorial is a writer for TheMurrow covering travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to “re-enroll” for face scans at different airports?
Because U.S. airport biometrics are often deployed as separate programs—some run by TSA at security, some by CBP for international entry/exit, and some tied to airline profiles. IATA’s One ID guidance treats separate enrollment at each location as misaligned with the interoperability goal. (IATA One ID)
Is TSA facial recognition mandatory at security?
TSA describes its system as facial comparison technology and states travelers may decline the optional photo without recourse and use an alternative identity verification process. (TSA facial comparison factsheet)
Is CBP’s face scan the same thing as TSA’s?
No. CBP uses facial comparison under its Traveler Verification Service (TVS) for international entry/exit processes, while TSA uses facial comparison at the security podium to verify identity against your physical ID for access to screening. (DHS/CBP PIA-056; TSA factsheet)
How widespread is CBP biometric processing at airports?
CBP reported facial comparison for entry at 238 airports (including all 14 Preclearance locations) and 49 locations for international air departures. (CBP biometrics environments: airports)
Why do some “touchless” programs require airline accounts and profile setup?
Some touchless experiences are implemented through airline ecosystems and can require stored credentials (e.g., passport and Known Traveler Number) and an explicit opt-in. The research notes cite American Airlines’ consumer guidance requiring AAdvantage membership, a saved KTN, and a valid passport in your profile. These requirements help link identity to travel records but make the experience airline-dependent.
Does TSA store the photo it takes at the checkpoint?
TSA communications around deployments have stated photos are used for immediate verification and, per TSA statements in specific releases, are not stored beyond that step. (TSA SEA press release, Oct. 16, 2024)
