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Study predicts number of passport kiosks to soar in global airports

March 6, 2014

According to a research report from Acuity Market Intelligence, airports will spend more than $2.2 billion globally on Automated Border Control eGates and kiosks between 2014 and 2018.

The report forecasts that the total number of airport eGates with integrated biometrics that replace border agents at passport control desks will nearly triple from the current installed base of 1,117 to 3,238 by 2018. An additional 14,942 specialized ABC kiosks and boarding eGates that rely on biometrics to expedite immigration processing will also be deployed over the forecast period, according to a press release summarizing the report.

"Airports across the globe are struggling with a universal challenge; maintaining security vigilance while accommodating ever increasing numbers of international passengers," said Acuity Principal, Maxine Most. "Airport operators and border control authorities are embracing ABC eGates and kiosks as a means to reduce congestion and immigration wait times while providing secure, fast, and user-friendly border crossings. This improves both the passenger experience and the bottom line."

A recent article on USA Today highlights a major factor contributing to the growth of passport-processing kiosks in global airports. Results from a survey conducted by Global Gateway Alliance, an organization that advocates for New York Airports, suggest that airports with installed biometric passport-processing kiosks have successfully reduced wait times in Customs and Border Protection lines.

The article points out that average wait times at New York JFK's Terminal 4 were cut in half, from 36 minutes down to 17 minutes, after 40 kiosks arrived in October. Average waits also dropped more than 4 minutes at Newark, nearly 4 minutes at Miami and nearly 7 minutes at O'Hare, according to the Gateway survey.