Traveling through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be even easier for Delta customers enrolled in TSA PreCheck starting next month with the expansion of new facial recognition capabilities and the opening of the first-ever Delta-TSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop.
Customers with both the Fly Delta app and a TSA PreCheck membership will soon be able to visit a new dedicated bag drop lobby on the lower level of Atlanta’s Domestic South Terminal, pass through the security checkpoint, and board their plane at the gate using only their "digital identity" (made up of a customer’s SkyMiles Member number, passport number and Known Traveler Number). Customers are free to travel from curb to gate, completely hands- and device-free.
After checking in on the Fly Delta app, customers can enter the dedicated lobby area, conveniently located next to the rideshare drop-off area on the lower level of Atlanta’s Domestic South Terminal. They’ll quickly verify their identity via a hands-free facial scan, print and attach a bag tag from a self-serve kiosk, and place their bag on the conveyer.
Not only does the new experience streamline steps required to check a bag, but it also saves customers an average of more than two minutes (and more during peak travel times) by allowing them to skip the lines inside the main airport lobby.
The space will open next month ahead of the holiday travel season. In Detroit, eligible customers will be able to enjoy self-serve bag tagging and a dedicated Delta bag drop queue at the Delta check-in counter later this fall.
After a short walk from bag drop to security, eligible customers will once again use a quick facial scan to pass through the domestic checkpoint in dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes – no need to show a government ID or boarding pass.
In Atlanta, customers will also have the benefit of industry-leading, more efficient security scanners that allow travelers to keep electronics and approved liquids in carry-on bags. As always, CLEAR remains a good choice for members who prefer to use its services.
When it’s time to board, customers will swap a facial scan for a boarding pass, just as they did at bag drop and the security checkpoint. One photo, and they are ready to board.
In Atlanta, T1-T8 gates will be the first to offer a facial recognition option for domestic boarding. Gates A10 and A12 will offer the same digital identity-enabled boarding in Detroit.
Customers with an active Delta SkyMiles membership, Known Traveler Number and passport details saved to their profile can opt in when checking in for their flight using the Fly Delta app. If a customer does not want to participate in this option, they can choose not to opt in and proceed through the airport as preferred – participation is voluntary. Delta does not save or store any biometric data, nor does it plan to.
Delta teams are working to expand the airline’s facial recognition-enabled offerings both in scale and scope.
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