Philadelphia International Airport has introduced a new biometric technology at its airport, aimed at speeding up inspections of U.S. citizens returning from abroad. The system uses facial recognition software to verify travelers' identities with photos on official government documents.
The technology was launched this week as part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) efforts to improve the efficiency of arrivals inspection processes. According to CBP, the new system will enable officers to focus their attention on what's happening around them, resulting in shorter wait times and faster processing for U.S. citizens.
The biometric cameras are part of a growing network of similar installations at airports, seaports, and border crossings across the country. These cameras analyze travelers' facial features with passport photos, verify identity and citizenship status, run law enforcement background checks, and create records of re-entry to the United States.
The technology is designed for U.S. citizens returning from abroad, while noncitizens will still be subject to manual inspections of their passports and declared items from abroad. The CBP has implemented this technology in response to a significant increase in travelers entering the country at airports last year, with over 420 million processed in 2024.
Philadelphia International Airport officials say that the new system will enhance the overall travel experience for U.S. citizens, allowing them to quickly process through customs and make connecting flights on time. The airport has also introduced a mobile app that pre-approved Global Entry travelers can use to complete their processing before leaving their planes.
The technology is not mandatory for U.S. citizens, but those who choose to opt out of the facial biometrics process must notify a CBP officer or airline representative and undergo manual inspections instead. The photos taken by the cameras are discarded 12 hours after the identity verification process, while noncitizens' photos are stored in a government database for up to 75 years.
According to CBP spokesperson Stephen Sapp, the main goal of this technology is to streamline arrivals for U.S. citizens, with wait times reduced by about 25% since its installation at other airports last year. The system works by taking a quick photo of travelers and matching it to their passport photos in the database, allowing them to proceed quickly to baggage claim and departure.
The technology was launched this week as part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) efforts to improve the efficiency of arrivals inspection processes. According to CBP, the new system will enable officers to focus their attention on what's happening around them, resulting in shorter wait times and faster processing for U.S. citizens.
The biometric cameras are part of a growing network of similar installations at airports, seaports, and border crossings across the country. These cameras analyze travelers' facial features with passport photos, verify identity and citizenship status, run law enforcement background checks, and create records of re-entry to the United States.
The technology is designed for U.S. citizens returning from abroad, while noncitizens will still be subject to manual inspections of their passports and declared items from abroad. The CBP has implemented this technology in response to a significant increase in travelers entering the country at airports last year, with over 420 million processed in 2024.
Philadelphia International Airport officials say that the new system will enhance the overall travel experience for U.S. citizens, allowing them to quickly process through customs and make connecting flights on time. The airport has also introduced a mobile app that pre-approved Global Entry travelers can use to complete their processing before leaving their planes.
The technology is not mandatory for U.S. citizens, but those who choose to opt out of the facial biometrics process must notify a CBP officer or airline representative and undergo manual inspections instead. The photos taken by the cameras are discarded 12 hours after the identity verification process, while noncitizens' photos are stored in a government database for up to 75 years.
According to CBP spokesperson Stephen Sapp, the main goal of this technology is to streamline arrivals for U.S. citizens, with wait times reduced by about 25% since its installation at other airports last year. The system works by taking a quick photo of travelers and matching it to their passport photos in the database, allowing them to proceed quickly to baggage claim and departure.
Just kidding kinda 
. But seriously, I think it's cool that they're trying to speed up the process for U.S. citizens coming back from abroad. We all hate waiting in lines, right? 
. And if it means shorter wait times and faster processing, then I'm all for it 
. Just hope they don't start making us take selfies as part of our travel documents too 
.
. I mean, I get that wait times are getting outta hand for returning US citizens, but do we really need facial recognition software doing all the work? It seems like a whole lotta extra security measure to me...and what's with the 75-year record retention thing for non-citizens? That just sounds like overkill. I'd feel so uncomfortable if I was one of those cameras taking people's pics 
. Plus, what about the older folks who can't even swipe a credit card without getting tech-issues? Do we really want to rely on facial recognition that might not work for everyone?
. No more long lines at customs! 
It's like they say - speed is king when it comes to air travel. And with the app, those who have Global Entry can skip all that hassle altogether 
. I'm not sure about the 12-hour rule for photos being discarded though... seems a bit sketchy 
.
but like what about people who dont wanna use facial recog? isnt it invasive? plus whats the point of storin those pics for 75 yrs?! that sounds super creepy 
️! It's about time we got more efficient at security checks, especially for U.S. citizens comin' back from abroad. I mean, who doesn't hate standin' around in line for hours waitin' to get through customs? 
This system seems like a win-win: it helps speed up the process and reduces wait times by 25%! 
. On the other hand, I love that pre-approved Global Entry travelers can use a mobile app to speed up their process! 
Did you guys know that CBP processes over 420 million travelers annually? 
That's a whole lotta faces! 
And, fun fact: the cameras store noncitizens' faces in a government database for up to 75 years... just sayin'. 
It's like, no wonder they're implementin' this new tech to speed things up! 
The system uses facial recognition software to verify identities with official government documents... pretty cool stuff if you ask me! 
i just hope its not too intrusive or invasive but i guess the cameras are just taking pics from passports so idk its all good in my book lol what do u guys think about it? 
. I mean, 25% less wait time? That's lit 
. But, gotta say, it does raise some concerns about data privacy and security 
. With facial recognition software, it's like having a personal escort through customs 
. With this new system, U.S. citizens can focus on their next adventure instead of staring at a customs screen 
. I mean, I get that wait times can be a real pain for travelers, but I don't want my face being taken and stored online just because I'm coming back from a trip abroad 
. It's like, what if I've had a bad hair day or something? 
. Can't they just make the lines move a bit faster instead of relying on tech to do the job for us? 
. I guess it’s all about trade-offs, but I think we should be more careful about how this tech is implemented 
. After all, we want to feel safe while traveling! 
So, let's give it up for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection team for making travel a whole lot smoother! 
and yay for global entry travelers who get to skip the line even faster 