Delta Unveils Fingerprint Boarding at Reagan National

A new level of access has opened up for Delta Air Lines passengers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. 

Delta announced Wednesday that it has teamed up with trusted-traveler program Clear to begin piloting a biometric boarding pass at Reagan National.

The first phase is already underway and allows eligible Delta SkyMiles members to access the Delta Sky Club using only their fingerprints on one of three available scanners.

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Phase 2 would expand access to allow eligible members to exchange their boarding pass and ID for fingerprint identification at Delta's ticket counter stations for bag drops and boarding gates as well as Delta Sky Club desks. 

Delta passengers with a SkyMiles number and who are also enrolled in Clear can participate in the pilot.

"We're rapidly moving toward a day when your fingerprint, iris or face will become the only ID you'll need for any number of transactions throughout a given day," said Delta's COO Gil West in a statement.

"This is one way Delta is working to give our agents more time to interact with customers while increasing the speed and accuracy of ID and boarding pass verifications," added West. "It's a win for customers and employees, and will only get better as we move beyond the test phase."

READ MORE: Delta Releases Upgraded Mobile App with Airport Wayfinding Maps

Clear travelers can also zoom through security lines at more than 20 major U.S. airports where the program's technology allows passengers to bypass the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) ID-check line, heading directly to the metal detectors and bag scanners in the screening line.

Thanks to the partnership between Delta and Clear, U.S. SkyMiles members can receive exclusive Clear membership rates. Without a discount, an annual membership costs about $179.

Beginning this month, JetBlue will also trial a new paperless and deviceless self-boarding process involving facial recognition for passengers flying from Boston's Logan International Airport in Boston to Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport. 

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