CBP pilots contactless customs to speed up U.S. airport arrivals

Customs and Border Protection is close to eliminating traditional passport checks by using facial-recognition kiosks and remote baggage screening, according to Diane Sabatino, an executive assistant commissioner overseeing the nation’s ports of entry. The agency’s 2026-2030 strategy emphasizes digitized, touchless workflows, and pilots such as Enhanced Passenger Processing already serve U.S. citizens at 33 locations, delivering roughly a 60% drop in wait times at Orlando International Airport and a 20% reduction for foreign travelers.

New technologies let officers review X-ray images of checked bags while planes are in the air, allowing many bags to bypass the physical inspection area entirely. Airport leaders like Marisa Von Wieding are redesigning terminals to accommodate these systems, aiming for a maximum 20-minute customs wait and up to 40-minute faster connections when New Terminal One opens. The broader goal is to free CBP officers to focus on high-risk cases while providing a smoother, faster arrival process for the majority of passengers.