Airport Identity Risk Index 2026 Flags Growing Digital Identity Vulnerabilities in Airport Security

As airports expand the use of biometrics, automated gates and digital travel credentials, new identity security risks are shifting from physical documents to digital systems, according to the Airport Identity Risk Index 2026 released by Regula.

The report, based on real-world airport deployments, analyzes identity verification risks across automated gates, biometric checkpoints and remote enrollment workflows, and projects how those threats may evolve through 2028.

Traditional threats such as forged physical documents remain prevalent but are expected to decline as airports deploy more advanced scanners and automated document checks, the report said. However, digital identity-related risks are accelerating, particularly inconsistent chip and certificate validation in ePassports and digital travel credentials, as well as tampering with mobile boarding passes and digital identities when backend validation is weak.

“Airports are becoming some of the most identity-dependent environments in the world,” said Arif Mamedov, CEO of Regula Forensics. “Risks are moving away from the physical checkpoint and into digital, cryptographic, and biometric layers that weren’t designed to fail loudly. Identity security at airports can no longer be treated as a series of isolated checks.”

The report recommends that airports adopt layered identity defenses across the passenger journey, including forensic document verification, full chip and certificate authentication, secure biometric capture with liveness detection, and cryptographically protected digital identities validated against backend systems.

The Airport Identity Risk Index examines seven major identity threats, identifies which risks are accelerating or stabilizing, and outlines steps airports can take to reduce exposure without slowing passenger processing, according to Regula.