Anticipating, countering, and then learning from the evolving threat landscape is the utmost priority of all major international airports as they balance the safety of their employees and customers with the staggering logistical burdens of their daily operations.
Artificial Intelligence is becoming an increasingly vital element in sharing the security workload; as its sophistication grows, so does the list of viable scenarios where AI can help secure even the busiest of airports.
Airport security focal areas for emerging AI platforms
Biometric Authentication and Seamless Travel: Central to the airport security conundrum is how best to ensure that passengers can flow through every stage of their journey speedily and seamlessly, but without compromising on the quality of all necessary security checks. AI is empowering the technology needed to perform said checks in a manner that is fast and accurate, but also as light and unobtrusive manner as possible.
Biometrics, including fingerprint and facial recognition, are already present in world-leading airports, but their broader implementation across check-in and border clearance will reap further efficiency and CX (customer experience) benefits.
Surveillance and Threat Detection: AI video analytics are now capable of monitoring live feeds to detect a wide range of incidents, from altercations to passenger falls, enabling security teams to respond promptly and decisively. Behavioural analysis is another promising AI use case, with particular interest in frameworks that enable a two-stage violence detection system using ViTPose and classification models to identify violent behaviours in real-time, further enhancing airport security measures.
Automated Baggage Screening: Along with human security checks, AI is essential for boosting the efficacy of screening thousands of pieces of baggage moving through an airport every hour. Platforms that eliminate the need for manual rechecks can be instrumental in pre-empting flight delays, lost baggage incidents and more serious security issues.
Predictive Analytics and Passenger Flow Management: AI is now able to assist security teams by forecasting peak times and focal points, improving resource allocation by showing officers when and where they are needed most. This can optimise security operations within the airport and in all maintenance elements and flight inspections, like those provided by Global Airport Forum Exhibitor Samana.
In the Spotlight: Exemplar Airports
Dubai International Airport (DXB): Always a pioneer in the security tech space, DXB has big plans for biometrics, a key priority with the advent of air taxis so close at hand. With the completion of a new Dubai vertiport, air taxi flights are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026. This adds further need (and more pressure) to streamline security measures, leading to the upgrading of DXB’s biometrics infrastructure. Biometric e-gate coverage will be increased from 37% to 80% of the airport, and facial recognition will become the only factor needed to capture passengers’ arrival or departure information.
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS): Since its live demonstration of SeeTrue AI technology in October 2024, LAS has become a pioneer in AI integration into its security operations. Its current AI platform connects with the airports Computed Tomography scanners to automatically identify dangerous or otherwise prohibited items.
San Sebastián Airport (EAS): A leading Spanish airport, EAS has launched a collaborative new tech-enabled approach to real-time detection of foreign object debris (FOD) on its runways. Combining AI, drone operations and its 5G network, this is a revolutionary improvement in early detection of FOD boosting security and safety levels at the airport.
Saudi Airports: Embracing AI in aviation at the national level, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is currently working with airport operator MATARAT to roll out AI-powered systems that manage and monitor passenger flow across all 27 of the country’s airports.  Advanced LiDAR and passenger flow management solutions are in various stages of completion, all with the aim of improving passenger experience levels along with safety and security for both consumers and airport staff.
Connecting the Dots before the Crisis Emerges
Threat prediction and mitigation is perhaps one of the most highly prized areas of potential for emerging AI assets and platforms in the airport security space. Airports are vast operational machines with thousands if not millions of moving parts, making early warning systems for planning and delivering security responses invaluable in the modern era of aviation. As customer flows return to pre-pandemic levels, the margin for error, security-wise, is shrinking.
