Airports racing to win the hearts and minds of passengers through technology-led transformation

Airport Show 2025 to reflect the pace of technological progress at airports

160+ exhibitors for the largest airport industry B2B platform

Airport technologies market size will be worth US$13.99 billion in 2025

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 5, 2025: When the US-based IBM Center for the Business of Government wrote in a study in March 2000 that “new strategies, new ideas, and new technologies were necessary for airports” for broadening economy, there were few takers even in the world’s biggest countries which a year earlier had handled over 8.3 million flights and 614 million passengers. In 2000, the number of passengers carried by global airlines stood at 2.3 billion.

Twenty-five years later, a survey by Amadeus, the world’s leading provider of travel technology, revealed 56 percent of airport leaders are making technology investments for ‘enhancing’ customer experience and 52 percent for ‘improving’ operational efficiency.

The increase in technology investment is more than any other area by the airports. On average, airports intend to increase technology investment by 17 percent, and 94 percent of airports plan ‘at least moderate’ investment in their organization, with 44 percent planning to invest ‘aggressively’ over the coming 12 months, noted Amadeus which, in collaboration with Opinium Research, conducted the Travel Technology Investment Trends 2024. Airports are investing more in technology to improve operations, customer experience, cybersecurity, and sustainability. The airport technologies market size is projected to reach US$13.99 billion mark in 2025.  The airport digitization market alone is projected to grow to US$27.44 billion by 2030. The report revealed that nearly all airports surveyed either offer or plan to offer biometrics at key touch points such as check-in, bag drop, security, lounge access, and boarding.

According to the survey, 92 percent of respondents see value in providing flexible passenger services from locations beyond the typical fixed check-in and bag drop counter.   Airports are enthusiastic about the potential of serving passengers at new locations around the terminal, with 52 percent expressing interest.   Airports see significant potential in offering flexible baggage services from a variety of locations, enhancing the overall passenger experience.  About 52 percent of airports reported more disruption than before the pandemic, and 76 percent of airports confirmed that sustainability objectives are important drivers of technology investment.  More than three-quarters of airports are either already investing in or planning to invest in technologies aimed at improving sustainability.   

Key areas of investment include moving passenger and operational systems to energy-efficient cloud computing, optimizing aircraft departure sequences to reduce fuel burn, and implementing data analytics to power down unused airport resources.   It noted: “The airport sector is undergoing digital transformation as inflexible legacy technology is gradually replaced by cloud-native systems that connect more easily from anywhere.

A substantial slice of the fast pace and progress of airport technology and innovation – and a look into the future – will be showcased and discussed at the 24th edition of the Airport Show, the world’s largest B2B platform for the airport industry, to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre   from May 6 to 8. The exhibition will offer unparalleled networking and business opportunities for the airport industry players from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, with the participation of over 160 exhibitors from over 20 countries. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with participants from different national pavilions and connect with numerous representatives the through the renowned Business Connect Programme.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Patron of Airport Show, remarked: “Airports are vital connectors and economic engines for communities and countries. By 2040, airports in the Middle East will handle 1.1 billion passengers. Airports across the region are also modernizing and expanding to meet growing demand. The Airport Show has remained a vital stage for business growth and expansion in the airport industry.” 

The three-day show will have co-located conferences – the Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF), Airport Security Middle East, the ATC Forum, and Women in Aviation (WIA). The annual platform is supported by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, Emirates Airlines, Dubai Air Navigation Services, and dnata.

The Airport Show will remain a crucial platform in 2025 too for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region as US$1.3 trillion in airport development projects are readying to take off. The B2B platform will facilitate global companies to showcase their cutting-edge technologies and innovations designed to enhance airport operations, facility expansion, safety enhancement, improve passenger experiences and sustainability, and widen automation.

The Middle East region is required to invest up to US$151 billion in near-future expansions and improvements to facilities. According to the Airports Council International (ACI) whose members operate 1925 airports across 171 countries, passenger numbers to/from/within the Middle East are expected to reach 105 percent of 2019 levels in 2025.

May Ismail, Event Manager at RX, a global company that organizes about 400 events across 42 industry sectors in 22 countries including Airport Show, said: “Digital transformation is happening fast across the airport industry. Airports are focusing on advanced technologies.  The buzz world today is convenience, efficiency, and communication. Enhancing the airport experience boils down to three critical factors – easy navigation, cleanliness, and passenger service. By 2050, several processes within the airport environment are predicted to be fully autonomous, and the airports with better passenger experience will have a competitive edge. In the technology-driven era, the focus for airports is on thriving rather than just staying operational.”  

According to a white paper by global consultancy Frost & Sullivan, airports are constantly evolving especially now when the rate of change is faster than ever. They are faced with changing demand, varied operating conditions, rising costs, and workforce shortages coupled with rising passenger demands. Stakeholders across the ecosystem are working on innovating, backed by advanced technology to solve airport’s various pain points and achieve the desired goals and priorities. These innovations span across landside and airside for passenger processing and for operations management.

It noted: “Airport operators, with the support of technology suppliers, are working on deploying comprehensive Digital Twin solutions that covers not only airside but also Landside and the Terminals. This gives operators the ability to get better real-time insights into operations and processes but also gives operators ability to try out various changes to evaluate impact and to choose the one to be deployed. Technology providers and airports are working on leveraging robotics to aid baggage handlers in loading/offloading baggage which would reduce human intervention and the linked risks and challenges while speeding up operations.”

According to ICAO, technology plays a key role in incremental innovations and facilitates improvements. By 2030, common will be self-service options like Near-Field Communication (NFC) and Radio-frequency Identification (RFID), robotic airport assistants, improvements to route planning, air traffic control, and passenger experience through AI, wider use of IoT and cloud technology, and infrastructure digitalization. Digital technologies like AI, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, healthcare integration, sustainable energy, quantum computing, and human-machine interaction will converge in the next decade for sweeping transformation across the travel ecosystem.

Experts say airports are investing in technologies like self-service kiosks, mobile apps, and contactless payment systems, along with the AI-based screening systems, biometric monitoring systems, computerized gates, LED lighting, optimized water and air systems, and low-consumption electronics.  Social robotics, a developing field for airports, is bound to enhance engagement and interaction with passengers.  SITA noted that the world’s 200 major airports which handle 43 percent of the world’s passengers are buckling due to swelling passenger numbers and budgetary constraints even as safety, security and speed of service remains top priorities for passengers.

In a report over the travel trends by 2050, ACI and global management consultancy Oliver Wyman says the airport industry needs concerted investments in everything from green tech to biometrics as the state of travel – and the way people move around the world – will change dramatically. It said: “Advances in biometrics, AI, ML, 3D printing, and automation will disrupt traditional airport operating models and transform the passenger experience while also enhancing efficiency. The deployment of technology will provide the opportunity to rethink the internal design and layout of airports.”

By 2030, wider implementation of biometrics is expected to replace paper passports, boarding passes, and other travel documents such as visas. Paper baggage tags will be progressively replaced by 2030, leveraging electronic luggage tags. 2030, AI and the IoT technology will be a core part of airport operations. The year 2040 will be a decade away from the net-zero goal.

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