African travelers are among the most satisfied with air travel globally, but they are also the most likely to be discouraged from visiting a destination because of immigration requirements, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2026 Global Passenger Survey.
The survey, released on October 28 in Macao, found that 89 per cent of African travelers reported overall satisfaction with air travel, unchanged from 2025. However, 52 per cent said immigration requirements had discouraged them from visiting a particular destination, the highest proportion of any region.
Complexity was the leading concern among African travelers deterred by entry requirements, followed by cost.
“Passengers are embracing technology to make travel easier. AI is becoming a mainstream travel planning tool, while biometrics and digital identity are creating a faster and more seamless airport experience,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security.
“Yet many travelers continue to face barriers from complex immigration and visa processes.”
Although biometric adoption in Africa remains among the lowest globally, interest in digital travel solutions is among the strongest.
The survey found that 49 per cent of African travelers had experienced biometrics at an airport in the past 12 months, up four percentage points from 2025. This compares with a global average of 58 per cent.
Despite lower use, 82 per cent of African travelers said they would be willing to share biometric information if it allowed them to skip showing a passport or boarding pass at airport checkpoints. This is above the global average of 78 per cent.
Interest in digital passports is also strong. Some 87 per cent of African travelers said they would be interested in using a digital passport for online check-in, compared with 84 per cent globally.
In addition, 52 per cent of African travelers reported using artificial intelligence (AI) for travel planning, above the global average of 49 per cent.
Globally, nearly half of travelers—49 per cent—have used AI to plan travel.
The most common use is searching for flights to a specific destination, reported by 21 per cent of passengers. Another 19 per cent have used AI to find the cheapest flights, while 17 per cent have used it for destination inspiration.
IATA said airlines need to ensure their offerings are visible in AI tools and provide convenient links that allow travelers to move from an AI conversation to an actual booking.
“People are using AI to plan their travel. It’s important for airlines not only to ensure their offerings show up in AI, but also to develop convenient links to convert an AI conversation into a real booking,” Careen said.
Nearly six in 10 passengers globally reported experiencing biometrics at least once in the past 12 months, up from 50 per cent in 2025 and 24 percentage points higher than in 2022.
Satisfaction among users has also reached its highest level, with 87 per cent saying they were happy with the experience.
Some 78 per cent of travelers globally said they would be willing to share biometric information if it meant they could avoid showing a passport or boarding pass at airport checkpoints.
Of these, 75 per cent prefer to register once in advance so they can be recognised automatically throughout the airport journey.
However, trust remains a major issue. Globally, 59 per cent of passengers cited data breaches as their main concern, while 49 per cent worried about information being shared with other organisations. A further 41 per cent said there was insufficient clarity on how their personal information is handled.
The survey found that entry requirements are an increasing barrier to travel. Globally, 43 per cent of passengers said immigration requirements had discouraged them from visiting a destination, up from 33 per cent in 2025.
Among travelers discouraged by immigration requirements, 53 per cent said the process was too complex. Privacy and cost were each cited by 17 per cent.
Passengers increasingly want visa processes to be digital, faster and completed before they reach the airport.
Globally, 86 per cent said they would be willing to share immigration information digitally before departure to speed up processes, up from 83 per cent in 2025.
Some 45 per cent would prefer to complete immigration procedures before arriving at the airport, while 60 per cent prefer applying for a visa online rather than in person at a consulate or embassy.
IATA said more than 100 countries issue eVisas, but there is little consistency in how they are checked. It urged governments to adopt common standards to allow airlines to verify digital travel documents efficiently.
“eVisas can deliver that, but airlines can only verify them efficiently if governments use common standards,” Careen said.
Asia-Pacific travelers reported the highest overall satisfaction at 90 per cent, followed by the Middle East, also at 90 per cent, and Africa at 89 per cent.
Europe recorded the lowest overall satisfaction at 84 per cent, down one percentage point from 2025. European travelers were also the most cautious about adopting digital travel technology, with below-average use of AI and biometrics.
North American travelers reported the highest use of biometrics at 63 per cent, but also the strongest concerns about data breaches.
Travelers from Latin America and the Caribbean reported the largest improvement in satisfaction, rising five percentage points to 85 per cent.
Middle East travelers were the most likely to use AI for travel planning, at 72 per cent, and showed the strongest interest in digital passports and biometric identification.
IATA said governments can support travel growth by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate checks and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.
For Africa, where interest in digital solutions is high but biometric use remains comparatively low, the findings suggest a major opportunity to modernise airport processes and visa systems.
The association said a common framework for issuing and accepting digital passports—or Digital Travel Credentials—would be essential to making biometrics the norm for international travel.
