Aviation passengers are demanding faster airport processing and integrated ticketing across transport modes, with mobile usage up 20 percentage points since 2020, according to SITA's Travelers' Voice Passenger IT Insights 2025 report released this year.

The survey of more than 7,500 passengers at airports in 25 countries, conducted immediately before takeoff and after landing, found that two in three want faster airport processing whilst 42% want a single ticket covering air, rail and road travel. Most passengers now prefer biometric gates over staffed counters.

David Lavorel, chief executive officer of SITA, says: "Passengers aren't resisting change. They've already changed. They've gone digital. Now it's our turn. The future of travel isn't just about adding tech. It's about removing friction."

The timing of the survey - capturing passengers in the moment of travel rather than retrospectively - provides what SITA describes as authentic insights from people actively experiencing the journey. The findings reveal expectations shaped by how passengers manage finances, health and mobility from their phones, contrasting with aviation's reliance on queuing, printing and manual processes.

Digital identity adoption is projected to surge from 155 million users today to 1.27 billion by 2029 globally. Two-thirds of passengers surveyed would pay for the convenience of storing their passport digitally, indicating willingness to fund infrastructure changes that reduce friction.

Sustainability has become a measurable factor in travel choices, with nearly 90% of passengers stating they would pay more to reduce emissions. Many indicated willingness to fly slower or pack lighter to cut their carbon footprint, though the survey did not specify price thresholds or how much slower passengers would accept.

Baggage mishandling rates have reached historic lows, yet 78% of passengers would still pay for end-to-end baggage services. The figure suggests trust remains a concern despite improvements, with passengers willing to pay for guarantees rather than relying on standard handling.

Intermodal travel is becoming standard expectation rather than exception, with 70% of respondents planning at least one intermodal trip this year combining air travel with rail or road. The 42% requesting single tickets across modes indicates current booking systems require passengers to manage multiple platforms and payment processes.

Lavorel continues: "We're asking passengers to adapt to travel. 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."

The report forms part of SITA's IT Insights series alongside Air Transport and Baggage reports, tracking passenger expectations over more than a decade. The company positions these as the global benchmark for understanding shifting passenger demands.

The findings create pressure on aviation infrastructure that typically operates on longer investment cycles than consumer technology. Airports and airlines face the challenge of retrofitting systems designed for pre-smartphone travel patterns whilst passengers increasingly expect the instant updates, seamless transitions and personalised service they receive from other sectors.

The generational shift is particularly pronounced, with younger travellers who have never known pre-digital travel now representing the main driver of industry growth. Their baseline expectations differ fundamentally from passengers who experienced aviation before mobile boarding passes, setting new minimum standards the industry must meet to remain competitive.