Many travelers are willing to pay extra to get through the airport as seamlessly as possible.
But airports and aviation officials around the world are testing ways to deploy AI technology to make the airport experience smoother and more convenient, often at no extra cost to passengers.
In fact, the majority of airports are looking at new ways to leverage AI to ease travel logistics and streamline passenger operations. According to a recent study by Airport Dimensions, a whopping 95% of airports are exploring the use of AI to enhance the passenger journey.
Here’s a look at a handful of new ways AI is being deployed across every part of the passenger journey at airports around the world.
Pittsburgh Airport’s AI-Powered Four-Legged Robots
Some airports offer passengers emotional support dogs to help calm travel anxiety. But Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is testing out four-legged, dog-like robots to help improve the travel experience in its terminal.
“Passengers may soon notice four-legged robots, or quadrupeds, strolling through parts of the Airside Terminal supporting terminal operations from monitoring indoor air quality to detecting spills and full trash bins among other uses,” says a statement from the airport.
The robots will use adaptive autonomy software from Skild AI, along with cameras, sensors, and AI-driven perception. During the pilot program, the robots will autonomously roam through the terminal and provide real-time data to staff across a range of airport functions to improve customer service and safety.
FAA SMART System for Air Traffic Control
Federal officials are deploying AI to help prevent flight delays before they begin. The FAA has begun rolling out its new platform for the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories (SMART).
The cloud-based platform builds on control towers’ existing air traffic management systems and uses AI to analyze factors like airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, and airspace conditions to identify potential issues before they occur.
The idea is to help airlines and air traffic controllers recover from bad weather and other congestion events with more efficient planning support. The FAA began the first phase of SMART’s rollout in September, launching the tech at three airports in the Washington D.C. area, where it will be tested before a nationwide rollout in coming years.
Robot Baggage Handlers and Ground Crew
Imagine finding your plane seat before takeoff, looking out the window, and seeing a humanoid robot loading your luggage into the plane’s cargo area.
It might sound far-fetched, but with Japan Airlines’ latest AI trial, it’s set to soon become reality. Earlier in 2026, the Tokyo-based carrier launched a two-year pilot program to test AI-powered robots’ ability to handle ground operations at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
The robots are specially designed and programmed by GMO AI & Robotics to have a similar range of motion and adaptability as humans, and they are one potential solution to a ground handling labor shortage that’s escalating in Japan and around the globe.
The AI-powered ground crew bots will first be used to load and unload cargo containers, before eventually loading and unloading passengers’ luggage, and then potentially taking on additional duties like cleaning the aircraft cabin.
TSA PreCheck’s Futuristic eGates
The next time you arrive at the airport, you might not see a TSA officer before you enter the security screening area. The TSA is testing out new electronic gates at certain U.S. airports that rely on AI-powered biometrics to match a passenger’s facial scan to their ID.
To use the e-gates, fliers must have a TSA PreCheck membership. Eligible travelers simply step up to the gates, scan their ID, look at the camera, and wait for the gates to open and admit them to the screening zone. The process takes an average of three seconds, according to the TSA.
The e-gates are the next phase of TSA’s Touchless ID program, which allows fliers with PreCheck memberships to opt in to scan their face instead of their boarding pass to enter the screening area. So far, the technology is being tested at Newark Airport’s Terminal C, where it is open to United passengers with PreCheck who opt into the program ahead of time, before potentially rolling out to additional airports.
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