Biometric technology replaces traditional passport checks at Florida’s busiest airport, processing 57 million passengers annually with enhanced security screening.
Orlando International Airport is deploying facial recognition technology that has cut processing times for international arrivals by 43%, partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to modernize passenger screening at one of the nation’s busiest aviation hubs.
The Enhanced Passenger Processing system verifies eligible U.S. citizens by matching live photos to passport records, reducing repeated document checks by immigration officers. The airport expects more than 57 million passengers this year, with approximately 15% traveling internationally.
The technology rollout includes two components. For inbound travelers, kiosks capture photos that immigration systems compare against passport images, allowing verified passengers to proceed with fewer stops. A 90-day pilot program for outbound international departures uses camera-equipped corridors near gates to match live images against government records monitored by CBP agents.
MCO has installed biometric equipment at 65 of its 113 gates. Three vendors, including iProov and Aware, are being evaluated, with results determining whether the airport expands deployment across remaining international gates.
The departure pilot eliminates traditional passport presentation at boarding podiums. Instead, passengers walk through mounted camera corridors near jet bridges, where systems automatically capture and verify images against federal records. CBP officers monitor verification screens in real time while airlines maintain passenger flow.
Vendors report that newer algorithms can handle challenging angles, different heights and mobility devices while verifying families together rather than individually. At high-volume airports, small delays cascade into missed slots and gate congestion, making efficiency improvements operationally significant.
Privacy and data handling
U.S. citizens may decline facial processing and request manual checks, though that choice may result in slower processing lines. Data handling differs by passenger status. CBP purges images of U.S. citizens within 12 hours, but photos of non-citizens may be retained longer under federal rules scheduled to take effect Dec. 26, 2025.
Privacy advocacy groups have raised concerns about mission creep, security breaches and uneven accuracy across demographics. Agencies and vendors counter with high match rates and continuous testing.
Airport officials frame biometrics as a throughput tool, noting that face matching at kiosks replaces multiple document touches. The expansion includes guardrails designed to maintain passenger trust while delivering automation-driven speed improvements.
If the pilot program performs well, Orlando could extend biometrics across additional international gates and standardize passenger flow. The goal involves fewer handoffs, reduced friction and faster boarding during peak international travel periods.
Key Takeaways
- Orlando International Airport deployed facial recognition technology that reduced international arrival processing times by 43% through U.S. Customs and Border Protection partnership.
- The system operates at 65 of 113 gates, with a 90-day pilot testing departure screening for the airport’s 8.5 million annual international passengers.
- U.S. citizens can opt out of facial screening, with images deleted within 12 hours, while non-citizen photos face extended retention under federal rules.
- Three vendors are being evaluated to determine broader deployment across remaining international gates based on pilot program results.
