Passengers expect digital-first aviation experience, finds SITA

Insights show importance of seamless journeys, trust and sustainability

Passengers want technology to enable them to take simple and seamless journeys, according to new insights from SITA.

This year’s Travelers’ Voice, SITA Passenger IT Insights 2025 – a survey of 7,500 passengers at airports across 25 countries which has more than a decade worth of data – found that many want their experience of aviation to match their digital-first lives.

Nearly two in three of those surveyed said they want faster airport processing, while 42% said they want a single ticket covering air, rail, and road. Mobile usage is up 20 points since 2020, it found.

“Passengers aren’t resisting change. They’ve already changed,” said David Lavorel, chief executive of Geneva-based SITA. “They’ve gone digital. Now it’s our turn. The future of travel isn’t just about adding tech. It’s about removing friction.”

SITA believes that biometrics and digital IDs which ‘used to feel futuristic’ are now ‘expected’.

Almost 80% of passengers said they are ready to store their passport on their phone. Two-thirds said they would pay for that convenience. And globally, digital identity adoption is set to surge from 155 million users today to 1.27 billion by 2029.

Sustainability is also an important factor for air passengers, according to SITA’s research. Nearly 90% of passengers said they would pay more to reduce emissions. Many said they would fly slower or pack lighter to cut their footprint. They also want the industry to match that commitment with ‘tangible action’.

SITA also says trust is increasingly important to travellers, noting that while baggage mishandling rates are at historic lows, some 78% of passengers would still pay for end-to-end baggage services.

“We’re asking passengers to adapt to travel,” added Lavorel. “But they’re asking travel to adapt to them. The tools are here, biometrics, digital IDs, real-time data, and smarter baggage. The only thing missing is urgency.”