Air travel in the United States is entering a new era of efficiency and security, and Orlando International Airport is at the forefront of that change. Orlando International Airport (MCO), one of the country’s busiest and most innovation-forward hubs, has launched a 90-day biometric exit pilot designed to redefine how travelers move through the departure experience. Aware is proud to support the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in this effort, bringing our next-generation biometric solution to the gate area for outbound international flights.
For Aware, this collaboration reflects decades of experience helping government and commercial organizations enhance security while creating more intuitive, lower friction customer journeys. For Orlando, it is the next evolution of a long-standing commitment to modernization and customer-centric design—one that aims to keep pace with record traveler volumes without adding stress or delay for passengers.
A New Departure Experience: Fast, Frictionless, and Family-Friendly
The premise behind biometric exit is simple: when identity authentication becomes fast and contactless, boarding becomes more efficient for both travelers and airlines. In this pilot, the Aware system captures live facial imagery, validates passport and boarding information in the background, and confirms identity in a matter of seconds—all while allowing multiple travelers to be processed simultaneously.
This multi-traveler capability is especially important at an airport like Orlando, where large family groups, passengers with mobility needs, and travelers carrying children or strollers are common. Traditional boarding processes often force these passengers to stop, present documents, and juggle belongings. The Aware solution design removes that friction. By keeping hardware minimal and enabling capture “in motion,” boarding becomes simpler and more predictable, and gate congestion is reduced.
As Aware CEO Ajay Amlani noted, when travelers share only their face, and not extensive personal data, the result is an identity check that is security enhancing. CBP’s established policies support this, with U.S. citizens able to opt out and images of American travelers deleted shortly after use.
Built for Operational Impact
GOAA has been clear about its mission: with tens of millions of annual passengers and international travel continuing to grow, technology must shoulder more of the processing load. In recent years, MCO has deployed biometric capabilities across arrivals and departures, achieving dramatic reductions in wait times and setting a national benchmark for what modern border processing can look like.
The new biometric exit pilot advances that momentum by focusing on the gate—one of the most operationally constrained spaces in the airport ecosystem. The Aware solution was intentionally engineered to fit into existing gate configurations with minimal disruption and maximum flexibility. Passport validation, boarding pass verification, and identity matching all occur within a single streamlined flow, enabling airlines to turn aircraft more efficiently and giving gate agents real-time insight without added workload.
A key advantage of Aware technology is its ability to operate across a wide range of hardware—from sophisticated, enterprise-grade camera systems (existing and new) to affordable, commercially available off-the-shelf tablets. This flexibility helps airports and airlines scale biometric capabilities without committing to costly infrastructure overhauls. It also gives gate agents operational agility, allowing them to position or repurpose hardware as needed while maintaining high levels of accuracy and performance. The result is a cost-efficient pathway to modernization that adapts to each airline’s and airport’s unique environment.
With major global events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics expected to increase international travel to the United States, the demand for scalable, adaptable biometric infrastructure has never been greater. The Aware approach—lightweight hardware options, flexible workflows, and deep experience integrating with government and commercial systems—positions airports and airlines to meet that demand sustainably.
What This Means for Travelers, Airlines, and the Broader Ecosystem
The benefits of biometric exit are already clear:
For travelers:
- Shorter wait times and fewer bottlenecks during boarding
- Less juggling of documents, especially for parents, seniors, and travelers with limited mobility
- A more predictable journey, with identity verification happening in the background
For airports and airlines:
- Reduced congestion at the gate and improved aircraft turn times
- Scalable processes that adjust to seasonal surges without additional staffing
- Better visibility into passenger flow and operational performance
- Added security by confirming passenger identity
For the industry at large:
- A blueprint for how biometric systems can be deployed responsibly
- A model for future curb-to-gate identity experiences
- A demonstration that efficiency and privacy can coexist
A Partnership Rooted in Innovation
For Aware CEO Ajay Amlani, returning to Orlando carries special meaning. Two decades ago, Ajay supported early biometric deployments at MCO. Today, with Ajay leading the team at Aware, we are proud to help usher in the next era of traveler-centric identity technology. GOAA’s leadership has consistently embraced progress in ways that balance efficiency, privacy, and security, and CBP’s national push toward a comprehensive biometric entry-exit framework aligns closely with the Aware vision for safe, streamlined borders.
This pilot is the result of tremendous collaboration across agencies, airport leadership, and industry partners, and we are grateful for the support from organizations such as AAAE, ACI World, and the U.S. Travel Association, whose research and advocacy helped accelerate investment in next-generation passenger processing.
Looking Ahead
As CBP accelerates biometric entry-exit capabilities nationwide, the work happening at MCO is a glimpse into the near future of air travel in the U.S. The results of this 90-day pilot will help shape broader deployment decisions and inform how airports across the country meet rising traveler expectations.
Aware is honored to contribute our technology, expertise, and design-driven approach to such an impactful initiative. With the right solutions in place, biometrics can transform not just how people move through airports, but how they feel while they’re traveling.
This pilot is only the beginning. Together with GOAA, CBP, and our aviation partners, we’re building a foundation for smarter, safer, more seamless journeys for millions of travelers every year.
