(Stacker) – Welcome to the holidays—and with it, the holiday rush. A third of Americans plan to travel to catch the Yuletide cheer this year, according to a September 2024 Civic Science survey. To manage the surge, airports are speeding up their adoption of passenger-focused technologies. The global smart airports market, valued at $18.2 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $40.4 billion by 2030, according to Research and Markets.
U.S. airports are investing heavily in automated solutions to address long-standing pain points in air travel. Fortune Business Insights reports that 88% of airports and airlines are using artificial intelligence to plan major research and development programs, driven by passenger demand given that 64% of travelers want a digital travel concierge.
While these technological upgrades aim to improve efficiency, high modernization costs and data sharing regulations present major challenges for airports. Travel experts told USA Todaythese automated systems can be especially challenging for elderly travelers or …