Amadeus biometric solutions underpin UK's new nationwide contactless border

Rollout of UK's contactless border underway with East Midlands airport already live

Eligible travelers no longer need to scan their passport when using Amadeus Seamless Gates at 13 UK airports

The United Kingdom has begun the rollout of a contactless border at the country's 13 international airports as part of a pioneering project that removes the need for UK citizens and eligible third country nationals to scan their passport when entering the country.

The UK relies on Amadeus' Seamless Gates at 13 international airports to securely and conveniently verify each traveler's identity at the border, under a long-term contract with the Home Office and UK Border Force.

The new contactless system works by taking a photo of the passenger as they approach the eGate. The image is checked against verified immigration, travel and passport information and the eGate opens when the checks are successfully complete. Only if further checks are required will the passenger need to place their passport on the reader or be directed to a UK Border Force officer.

eGates at UK airports will gradually switch to the new contactless technology, with every eGate set to be upgraded by early 2027.

Amadeus Seamless Gates are available at the following 13 UK airports; Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.

Initially available to UK citizens, contactless border crossing will be expanded to cover eligible foreign nationals as part of the phased rollout.

As one of the world's primary providers of technology to border agencies and the broader travel industry, Amadeus is working with governments, airports and airlines to establish end-to-end secure and interoperable biometric ecosystems, where orchestration of digital identity powers seamless, secure journeys.