Published on December 11, 2025
Across the United States, the next few years will transform the air‑travel experience. Government agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and state authorities have mapped out investments that will introduce safer runways, streamlined security, digital identification, automated baggage systems, and even infrastructure for electric vertical take‑off and landing aircraft. The following report summarizes officially verified programmes and the cities and states where travellers can expect to see them from 2026 onwards.

Surface safety technology

In March 2025, the FAA announced a final initiative in its Runway Safety Portfolio aimed at reducing incursions at U.S. airports. The centrepiece is the Runway Incursion Device (RID), an electronic memory aid in control towers that displays when a runway is occupied or closed. The agency described RID as a replacement for multiple legacy alert systems and said that RID will be installed at 74 airports by the end of 2026[1]. Prototype deployments are already in service at Centennial Airport in Colorado, Austin‑Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Missouri, and Portland International Airport in Oregon, with planned installations at Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Hollywood Burbank Airport (California) and Boise Airport (Idaho)[1].

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The RID is part of a trio of technologies that the FAA has been piloting. The Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) taps Automatic Dependent Surveillance‑Broadcast (ADS‑B) data to provide controllers with surface‑traffic displays at airports that lack ground radar. The Approach Runway Verification (ARV) system monitors approaching aircraft and warns controllers if an airplane aligns with the wrong runway or airport[2]. Together with RID, these tools are intended to reduce the near‑miss events that have captured public attention and are slated to expand through 2026.

Digital identity and biometric screening

Travellers who forget their Real ID or passport may soon have another option. The TSA’s Confirm.ID programme, formalized in a Federal Register notice, allows individuals at airport security to verify their identity for a US$45 fee if they lack a compliant credential[3]. The programme is described as a registered traveller service with non‑refundable fees that cover the cost of building and operating the verification system. While the notice does not specify participating airports, the programme will begin nationwide after December 2025, giving travellers another way to board flights in 2026.

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Digital identity is also advancing through the adoption of mobile driver’s licences (mDLs). California’s Department of Motor Vehicles lists numerous TSA checkpoints in the state where the state’s digital licence can be scanned, including Los Angeles International (LAX), San Francisco International (SFO), San José (SJC), John Wayne (SNA), Oakland (OAK) and several regional airports[4]. A 2024 federal rule explains that TSA has been testing mDLs from eleven states at 27 checkpoints and highlights that the digital ID reader only requests data needed for identity verification[5]. Because mDLs transmit selected information and require user consent, they offer privacy advantages and are expected to expand to more checkpoints by 2026[6].
The TSA’s Biometrics Roadmap is another foundation for future screening. Released in 2018, it outlines goals to implement biometric identity verification for TSA PreCheck members and eventually domestic travellers. The roadmap emphasises privacy, cybersecurity and passenger experience while enabling partnerships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection[7]. This plan guides programs like Credential Authentication Technology (CAT). The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that TSA is upgrading 2,054 existing CAT machines and procuring 1,531 new CAT‑2 units that combine ID authentication with facial biometric verification, digital ID support and self‑service features[8]. Upgrades will gradually roll out across airports through 2026, allowing passengers to scan a digital ID or present their face for identity confirmation.

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In the private sector, biometric eGates are being deployed in partnership with airports and TSA. Houston Airports announced in December 2025 that CLEAR has installed eGate checkpoints at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). CLEAR+ members can verify their identity in under five seconds and bypass the security podium, reducing wait times and preparing for the influx of travellers expected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup[9]. Such deployments demonstrate how facial recognition and kiosk‑based identification will spread to more U.S. airports.

Modernizing baggage and checkpoint screening

Checked luggage and carry‑on screening are also being overhauled. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided more than US$465 million to upgrade baggage handling systems at over 25 airports[10]. Denver International Airport in Colorado received US$124 million for a more energy‑efficient system, while smaller airports such as La Crosse Regional (Wisconsin), Colorado Springs (Colorado), Lawton‑Fort Sill (Oklahoma) and Harrisburg International (Pennsylvania) obtained grants to rehabilitate or modernize their baggage equipment[10]. These projects will reach construction and installation stages over the next several years, enabling faster baggage throughput and reducing lost‑bag incidents.
On the checkpoint side, TSA is deploying the Checkpoint Property Screening System (CPSS) to replace aging X‑ray machines with computed tomography (CT) scanners that provide 3D imaging. GAO explains that TSA plans to purchase 2,263 systems across four sizes and aims for full operational capability for 910 machines by September 2025[11]. The technology allows passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their bags, improving throughput and detection. Congress continues to support this rollout; the fiscal 2025 homeland security appropriations summary includes a US$175.2 million increase for CT machines and US$13.9 million for inline baggage screening reimbursements[12]. Because procurement continues into 2026, travellers can expect to see CT scanners at more checkpoints across states.

Air traffic control and automation

Behind the scenes, airports will rely on new automation platforms and remote operations. The FAA’s Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program modernizes tower equipment with electronic flight data, electronic flight strips and optimized departure sequencing to save fuel and reduce congestion. TFDM is being implemented at 49 airports in two configurations: Configuration A (full functionality at 27 major airports) and Configuration B (electronic flight strips at 22 sites). According to the FAA, TFDM provides surface traffic management and enhances collaboration between gate and tower[13]. Although the GAO projects final completion in 2030, many airports will begin using TFDM features by 2026.
The FAA is also developing a Common Automation Platform (CAP) to unify the en‑route and terminal automation systems. According to a November 2025 FAA announcement, CAP will replace the En Route Automation Modernization and Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, ensuring a resilient and modern architecture that can accommodate future operational complexities. The project is part of the FAA’s strategy to prepare the national airspace for the coming decades.
A separate but related initiative is the exploration of remote tower systems. Remote towers use high‑definition cameras, sensors and communication links to allow air‑traffic services to be provided from an off‑site facility. The FAA clarifies that these systems are not yet approved for operational use in the National Airspace System, but the agency is running a pilot program and reviewing manufacturers’ designs[14]. Legislation provides funding through the Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program, which allocates US$100 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to construct and modernize control towers and remote towers, with funds becoming available from fiscal year 2026[15]. Remote tower technology could make it economically viable to provide control services at smaller airports in rural areas.

Advanced air mobility and vertiports

By 2026, airports may also begin accommodating advanced air mobility (AAM) operations. The FAA defines AAM aircraft as highly automated electric vertical take‑off and landing vehicles—often referred to as air taxis. Initial operations will use existing airport and heliport infrastructure, but new facilities such as vertiports and vertistops will be needed for regular services. The FAA’s AAM infrastructure guidance notes that airports or municipalities planning such facilities must incorporate them into their airport layout plans, meet design standards, and include charging stations for electric or hydrogen propulsion[16]. As states like Ohio, Florida and California host pilot projects, travellers may see construction of vertiports near major airports or downtown areas in the coming years.

Looking ahead

The technologies described above represent a government‑driven overhaul of aviation security, safety and efficiency. The runway safety solutions will be embedded in 74 airports by the end of 2026, offering controllers consistent and automated alerts. TSA’s Confirm.ID programme, biometrics roadmap, CAT‑2 devices, and private eGates will gradually make identity verification faster and more secure, while mDLs will reduce the need to carry physical IDs. Investment in CT scanners, CPSS, and baggage systems will help travellers breeze through checkpoints and reclaim luggage quickly. Meanwhile, projects like TFDM, CAP, remote towers and AAM infrastructure illustrate how digital transformation is reaching behind the scenes to manage aircraft more efficiently and prepare for new forms of air travel.

Reference list

1. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – Runway Safety Portfolio announcement (2025). “FAA announces Runway Incursion Device and surface safety solutions”[17].
2. Federal Register – TSA Confirm.ID fee notice (2025)[3].
3. TSA – Biometrics Roadmap for aviation security (2018)[7].
4. Houston Airports – Biometric eGates deployment press release (2025)[9].
5. California DMV – Mobile Driver’s Licence (mDL) FAQs listing participating airports (2024)[4].
6. Federal Register – Final rule on minimum standards for driver’s licences and mDLs (2024)[5][6].
7. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – Assessment of TSA modernization programs (2024) describing CAT and CPSS upgrades[8][11].
8. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant announcement – Baggage handling system upgrades (2024)[10].
9. FY2025 Homeland Security Appropriations summary – Funding for CT machines and baggage screening reimbursements (2024)[12].
10. FAA – Terminal Flight Data Manager program description[13].
11. FAA – Remote tower systems overview and pilot program[14].
12. FAA – Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program details (2025)[15].
13. FAA – Advanced Air Mobility infrastructure guidance[16].
14. FAA – Common Automation Platform announcement (2025)[18].

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Tags: Advanced Air Mobility, airport technology innovations, biometric screening, Houston, Los Angeles airports tech

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