Key Points
- Digi Yatra facial recognition system crosses 10 crore uses across 38 Indian airports
- Average airport entry processing time reduced from 15 seconds to 5 seconds per passenger
- 27 additional airports including Navi Mumbai and Jewar to be enabled by next year
Digi Yatra facial recognition system for airport boarding has crossed 10 crore uses, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced on Saturday (30 May). The app-based system, which allows passengers to pass through airport checkpoints using biometric verification instead of physical document checks, now operates at 38 airports and has been downloaded over 2.4 crore times across iOS and Android.
The system has reduced average airport entry processing time from 15 seconds to 5 seconds per passenger, according to ministry data. By eliminating manual document verification, the platform has reduced terminal congestion and cut paper usage by removing the need for physical boarding passes.
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By the numbers
- 10 crore
- total Digi Yatra journeys processed
- 38 airports
- currently enabled with Digi Yatra
- 5 seconds
- reduced entry processing time per passenger
Union minister for civil aviation Ram Mohan Naidu, said the milestone reflected growing passenger confidence in paperless travel. “The scale of Digi Yatra’s adoption comes at a critical juncture,” he said. Daily domestic passenger traffic, which averaged below 2 lakh in 2014, has now crossed 5 lakh on multiple occasions over the past three years, he noted.
Annual passenger traffic across Indian airports is projected to reach 50 crore by 2030 and nearly 100 crore by 2040, the minister added. To manage this growth, the ministry is deploying multiple digital solutions including self-baggage drop facilities, enhanced air traffic control automation, the AirSewa grievance portal and AI-powered systems to optimise airport operations.
Airport expansion and language support
The ministry plans to enable Digi Yatra at 27 additional airports by next year, bringing the total to 65. The three major greenfield airports scheduled to become operational this year — Navi Mumbai, Jewar and Bhogapuram — will all launch with Digi Yatra support, the minister confirmed.
“While many nations continue to evaluate the large-scale deployment of biometric passenger processing, India has successfully operationalised and scaled Digi Yatra within a remarkably short timeframe,” Ram Mohan Naidu said.
The platform currently supports 11 languages and will add 11 more regional languages by year-end, the minister announced. This expansion aims to make the system accessible to a broader range of domestic travellers.
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Data privacy architecture
The ministry emphasised that Digi Yatra uses a privacy-by-design approach to data handling. Passenger biometric data is encrypted and stored on the user’s own device rather than on centralised government servers. The data is shared only with the departure airport for a limited period to enable verification at entry points.
The system works by allowing passengers to create a verified digital identity linked to their face. At participating airports, cameras at entry gates and boarding points match the passenger’s face against this stored identity, eliminating the need to show physical documents or boarding passes.
Your Questions, Answered
What is Digi Yatra and how does it work?
Digi Yatra is a facial recognition-based system that allows air passengers to pass through airport checkpoints using biometric verification instead of physical documents. Passengers create a verified digital identity linked to their face, and cameras at entry gates match their face against this identity.
How many airports in India have Digi Yatra?
Digi Yatra currently operates at 38 airports in India. The Ministry of Civil Aviation plans to expand this to 65 airports by next year, including the new Navi Mumbai, Jewar and Bhogapuram airports.
Is Digi Yatra data stored on government servers?
No. The system uses a privacy-by-design approach where passenger biometric data is encrypted and stored on the user’s own device. Data is shared only with the departure airport for a limited period for verification purposes.
How many languages does Digi Yatra support?
Digi Yatra currently supports 11 languages. The ministry plans to add 11 more regional languages by the end of the year to make the system accessible to more domestic travellers.