Travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) are among those now using TSA’s PreCheck Touchless ID technology, a facial comparison system that verifies identity without requiring a physical ID.
The program, available to enrolled TSA PreCheck passengers with valid passports, is in place at Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Atlanta, New York’s JFK and LaGuardia (LGA), Los Angeles, Newark, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle and at DCA in Arlington, Virginia.
“First time using TSA Precheck at LGA and I was done in about 7 minutes,” social media user Jose Gonzalez wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I could cry.”
The TSA is also using facial recognition in regular security lanes, while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employs it at entry checkpoints. This month, CBP began Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) at Nashville International Airport, photographing travelers with “auto capture technology” to confirm identity, check eligibility, and conduct enforcement screening before they reach an officer.
The process is touchless and automated, but travelers may opt for standard screening by notifying an officer.
CBP says the system allows officers to focus on higher-risk travelers, while other passengers move through inspection more quickly.
The technology is also built into CBP’s Global Entry program, allowing members to clear customs using facial recognition via a mobile app.
Critics warn that facial recognition raises serious privacy concerns. In 2019, the Department of Homeland Security disclosed that traveler photos were stolen in a data breach through a subcontractor’s network. While TSA says its databases are encrypted and images from the PreCheck Touchless ID system are deleted within 24 hours of departure, lawmakers from both parties are pushing for more safeguards.
The Traveler Privacy Protection Act of 2025, introduced in the Senate, would require affirmative consent before any biometric data is collected, prohibit passive surveillance, and mandate that stored images be deleted within specific timeframes. The bill also orders annual Government Accountability Office reviews on the technology’s accuracy, including potential bias by race, age, and gender.
“By leveraging advanced technologies and mobile applications, we are transforming inspections at airports into a seamless, touchless process, enabling faster risk identification and efficient processing of legitimate visitors,” said Steven Stavinoha, CBP’s New Orleans Director of Field Operations.