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Delta Turns Fingerprints Into Boarding Passes

The airline has announced that some customers can now use their fingerprint instead of a boarding pass to get on its planes at Reagan Washington National Airport.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Think having your airline boarding pass on your smartphone is convenient? Delta is about to do one better.

Connected TravelerThe airline announced that some customers can now use their fingerprint instead of a boarding pass to get on its planes at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Va.

Delta first started piloting biometric authentication in May, allowing eligible Delta SkyMiles Members to use their fingerprint as proof of identity at the DCA Delta Sky Club. Now, that same convenience is available as part of the boarding process, so customers can "forego a paper or mobile boarding pass in favor of using fingerprints as proof of identity" to board their plane, the company said.

Delta FingerprintThis new option is only available for Delta SkyMiles Members who are enrolled in CLEAR, a biometric identity verification platform that lets you "speed through security lines in 5 minutes or less." This summer, Delta plans to launch the final phase of its biometrics test, allowing members to use their fingerprints to check a bag.

"Being part of the initial tests means that eligible customers will be able to traverse DCA as they do today and simply use their fingerprint instead of pulling out their boarding pass," Delta wrote in a news release. Participation in the pilot is completely optional.

If all goes well with this pilot, Delta may in the future offer this option more broadly.

"Once we complete testing, customers throughout our domestic network could start seeing this capability in a matter of months – not years," Delta's Senior Executive Vice President & COO Gil West said in a statement. "Delta really is delivering the future now."

West said that consumer and employee feedback on the pilot has been "extremely encouraging" so far.

"It's a win-win program," he added. "Biometric verification has a higher level of accuracy than paper boarding passes and gives agents more time to assist customers with seat changes and other skilled tasks instead of having to scan individual tickets – and customers have less to keep track of as they travel through the airport."

Meanwhile, those traveling through Incheon International Airport in South Korea may encounter some new technology as well: robots. LG last week deployed a number of robots at the airport, which will roam around providing information and assistance to travelers. The new Airport Guide Robots can understand Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese, and connect to the airport's central server to provide information about boarding times, the locations of restaurants and shops, and more.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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