
Have you imagined traveling without needing a passport? Well that might come true soon. By 2025 Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport is planning to allow tourists to visit the country without means of identification.
The airport is known for its high-tech infrastructure and was recently praised by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the words "USA must catch up".
The Smart Travel project aims to install biometric sensors at every airport identification checkpoint, from check-in counters to immigration booths, duty-free, airline lounges and boarding gates.
In an October 2023 survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 75% of passengers said they would prefer to use biometric data instead of paper passports and ID cards. Hong Kong International Airport, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International have also launched biometric in-transit terminals.