Delta Air Lines passengers traveling through the airports of LAX, LGA, and JFK can now enjoy a faster airport experience, perfectly timed for the upcoming holiday season.

Delta Digital ID was introduced at the airline’s Detroit and Atlanta hubs in 2021, offering customers a convenient and contactless airport experience. Developed in collaboration with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), this cutting-edge technology will now be implemented at three major coastal hubs.

Delta Digital ID utilizes facial recognition technology to replace manual document checks performed by agents, enabling customers to breeze through bag drop and security checkpoints with greater convenience and efficiency. This optional feature is available to eligible customers who:

Have a TSA PreCheck® membership

Have passport information and a Known Traveler Number stored in their Delta profile

Have a (free) SkyMiles membership

Have the Fly Delta app

Customers meeting the criteria will be notified through the Fly Delta app if they are traveling from any of the following airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, starting Dec. 14). Once they have chosen to participate, the Delta Digital ID will be added to their SkyMiles profile, but they can opt out whenever they wish. Delta does not retain or store any biometric information.

Delta Digital ID allows customers to bypass the need for a physical ID when checking bags and going through security (after the post-launch verification period). To use this feature, customers just need to find the designated line with the green Delta Digital ID icon, look into the camera at the bag drop or security checkpoint, and use their digital identity instead of a physical ID.

Delta Digital ID transactions at bag drop save customers an average of 1.5 minutes compared to the standard bag drop time of two minutes. The time savings at security lines may differ based on airport volume. In terms of satisfaction with the check-in and security experiences, customers using Delta Digital ID outperform other Fly Delta app users by double-digit margins.

If the facial matching algorithms fail to identify a customer, a customer’s government-issued ID will be inspected by a trained agent, even though these algorithms are highly accurate.

Delta Digital ID has gained significant popularity among eligible customers at ATL and DTW due to its time-saving benefits. As a result, there will be an expansion of Digital ID in Atlanta to the international terminal (ATL-F) starting from January.

Delta plans to extend the technology to more hubs in 2024, but customers can expect significant benefits during the upcoming busy year-end travel season with the introduction of Digital ID at LAX, LGA, and JFK.