Macao – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) are the first organizations to achieve One ID Certification. The certifications were presented at the IATA World Passenger Symposium (WPS) in Macao.
The new certification gives airlines, airports, and governments assurance that an organization’s use of digital identity and biometrics meets IATA’s global One ID standards.
One ID is a set of global industry standards for using digital identity and biometrics across the passenger journey. These support a journey where passengers confirm their identity and travel documents before reaching the airport, then pass through checkpoints using facial recognition instead of repeatedly showing their passport and boarding pass. IATA’s 2026 Global Passenger Survey found that 78% of passengers would be willing to share their biometric information in order to avoid having to present physical travel documentation at airport checkpoints.
“Digital identity can make travel much simpler for passengers, but only if everyone involved in the journey trusts how others verify identity, handle biometric data, and protect privacy. One ID Certification gives them that assurance. Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport are among the industry’s leaders in using One ID-enabled digital identity to improve the passenger experience. As the first organizations to be certified, they have set the benchmark for others to follow,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
Organizations can be certified in one or more of four areas of activity: Digitalization of Admissibility, Contactless Travel, Biometric Handling, and Privacy, Consent, and Governance. The certification is open to airlines, airports, and technology providers. As the first organizations to achieve One ID Certification, Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport were certified across all areas applicable to their respective operations.
“Flight Token, Hong Kong International Airport’s self-service biometric identification system, has transformed the departure journey by enabling passengers to travel through key airport checkpoints using facial recognition. Today, more than 80% of departing passengers at HKIA are eligible to use Flight Token across all checkpoints of the departure journey. Since its launch in 2021, more than 93 million passengers have used Flight Token to date. Achieving One ID Certification confirms that HKIA’s digital identity and biometric processes align with IATA’s global standards. As we work with airlines, airports, and government authorities to expand Flight Token beyond Hong Kong, this certification provides a trusted foundation for interoperable and seamless digital travel,” said Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong.
“Air New Zealand has a proud history of innovation and problem-solving, and we always start with our customer and what’s going to make things easier. Our trial with Hong Kong International Airport showed how digital identity could work across borders, reducing the need for documentation and queuing, but it also showed that customers can trust us to keep their information safe. The certification recognizes the work we’ve done to date and the importance we place on protecting our customers’ personal information as we explore new ways to improve the travel experience over time,” said Jeremy O’Brien, Chief Customer & Digital Officer, Air New Zealand.
Supporting wider adoption
Certification is part of IATA’s broader work to support the adoption of digital identity across the passenger journey. This includes:
- Working with governments to remove regulatory barriers, including enabling the issuance and acceptance of Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) for international travel
- The Contactless Travel Directory, a directory that supports the adoption of biometric ID allowing airlines, airports and border authorities to find and connect once to multiple partners
- Timatic AutoCheck, which automates travel document checks
Certified organizations will be publicly listed in the planned IATA One ID trust registry to inform the industry of who they can trust to meet the standards.
