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By Chinelo Obogo
Despite facing the greatest border challenges globally, with visa and immigration complexity cited as key barriers, African travelers are the ones with the second highest satisfaction levels, an International Air Transport Association (IATA) survey has found.
IATA released the results of its 2025 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) this week, highlighting trends that are redefining the passenger travel experience. The GPS results are based on over 10,000 responses from more than 200 countries and provide insight into what passengers would like from their air travel experience. The survey shows that more travelers are managing every stage of their journey using smartphones and the use of biometrics and digital identity is expanding to enable more seamless airport processing, and travelers like it.
IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen, said: “Passengers want to manage their travel the same way they manage many other aspects of their lives, on their smartphones and using digital ID. As experience grows with digital processes from booking to baggage claim, the message that travelers are sending in this year’s GPS is clear: they like it, and they want more of it. There is an important caveat which is the need to continue building trust, so cybersecurity remains a priority. Cybersecurity must be core to the end-to-end digital transformation of how we book, pay, and experience air travel.”
The GPS confirms that mobile devices have become central to the passenger journey as travelers are increasingly using their smartphones to book flights, manage payments and loyalty programs, and handle check-in, immigration, boarding, and baggage processes. Enthusiasm for mobile-enabled travel is higher than ever.
The survey showed that over half of travelers (54 per cent) want to deal directly with airlines, and they are doing that increasingly with mobile apps. Airline websites remained the most popular booking preference at 31 per cent, but this was down from 37 per cent in 2024. In 2025, web apps were the preferred choice for 19 per cent of travelers, trending upwards from the 16 per cent in 2024. This move was led by younger travelers (25 per cent) which is an indication that the trend of shifting to mobile options is likely to strengthen over time.
Payment preferences are also evolving. While credit and debit cards remain dominant (72 per cent), this marks a significant drop from 2024 (79 per cent). Digital wallet use has increased significantly (from 20 per cent in 2024 to 28 per cent in 2025), and instant payment methods, such as IATA Pay, have also grown (from 6 per cent in 2024 to 8 per cent in 2025).
The survey also showed that 78 per cent of passengers want to use a smartphone that combines a digital wallet, digital passport, and loyalty cards to book, pay, and navigate airport processes. Use of electronic bag tags is also on the rise, increasing from 28 per cent in 2024 to 35 per cent in 2025, allowing passengers to generate their bag tags directly from a mobile device during check-in.
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For the regional trends, the survey shows that the average African passenger values the human touch and is most likely to book through airline offices or call centers. Their satisfaction levels are among the highest globally, ranking second overall. Yet they face the greatest border challenges, with visa and immigration complexity cited as key barriers. Simplifying these processes could unlock major growth.
Asia-Pacific travelers are the most digitally savvy, with the highest overall satisfaction levels among global travelers. They lead in using mobile apps and digital wallets to book and pay for travel, and are the least likely to use credit cards. They are also among the most frequent users of biometrics, though their satisfaction with these experiences is the lowest.
European passengers are the most traditional and cautious. They prefer to book directly through airline websites and typically pay by credit or debit cards. They are the least likely of all regions to have used biometrics in the past year and remain more hesitant to share data in advance or replace travel documents with digital identification. Despite this cautious approach to technology, European travelers rank as the fourth most satisfied globally.
North American travelers prioritise convenience and are the most likely to choose flights based on total journey time and fewer layovers, and they rely heavily on airline websites for booking. Despite this focus on convenience, they are among the least satisfied travelers globally, ranking second from last across all regions.
Latin American and Caribbean travelers value personal interaction when booking and prefer to pay with credit or debit cards. They are more likely than any other region to obtain visas from a consulate or embassy. Personal service and convenience are top priorities for this region; yet overall, they are the least satisfied travelers globally.
Loyalty matters to Middle East passengers. They favor airports with strong service reputations and their preferred airlines. They are highly digitally engaged, with widespread use of digital wallets and strong enthusiasm for smartphone-based travel credentials. They are among the most satisfied travelers globally, ranking third overall. Loyalty and service quality remain top priorities in this region.
The survey also shows that male travelers are typically more enthusiastic adopters of digital tools, adopting airline apps more quickly than women. They show above-average interest in smartphone-only journeys. They also use biometrics slightly more across travel processes.
Female travelers are somewhat more cautious adopters of digital travel solutions but are steadily increasing their use of airline apps in line with broader trends. They are more likely to consider airline reputation and past experiences when making decisions, showing a stronger preference for reliability and trust.
