Denver International Airport (DEN) has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years. The Colorado hub, which is now the third-busiest airport in the US based on passenger volumes, serves as the largest hub for United Airlines and the largest base for Southwest Airlines - two of the world’s largest carriers.
However, Denver is seeing growth beyond the United States' borders. This past summer, it welcomed several new international carriers and routes across the Atlantic.
As the airport bolsters its global connectivity, it also recently implemented biometric boarding solutions for international passengers.
veriScan is now being used to verify the identity of international passengers as they board their flights at DEN. This new technology, provided by BigBear.ai, has been deployed at 14 international departure gates.
This innovation uses a facial biometric process to verify the identity of passengers and is expected to shorten the boarding time for almost 47,000 departing international customers.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, biometrics refers to using unique physical characteristics to verify an individual's identity.
While DEN has invested in facial recognition, biometrics could also include fingerprints or voice recognition. The United States employs this technology to prevent illegal entry into the nation.
veriScan uses the US Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Traveler Verification service to confirm the identity of departing passengers. It utilizes facial scanning technology to transmit an image of each passenger to CBP during the boarding process, ensuring each passenger is accounted for and verified before the aircraft's departure.
While this program is optional for US citizens, Congress has mandated that the CBP implement a biometric solution to the country’s entry-exit system. If a US passenger wants to opt out of facial scanning, they can do so by notifying an airline employee or CBP officer before going to the departure gate.
BigBear.ai's veriScan was first introduced in 2018 and has processed over 28 million passengers.
The implementation of biometric verification is indicative of DEN’s impressive growth in recent years. This year, the hub is scheduled to have 319,403 departures - up over 8% from the previous year.
This growth is fueled partly by United, which operates its largest hub at DEN. Combined with its regional subsidiary Skywest, United boasts over 43% market share.
The Denver market is encountering growth beyond United. The low-cost giant Southwest, Denver's second-largest carrier, has expanded in recent years. The airline has confirmed that it now leases 33 gates and offers up to 289 daily departures to over 90 cities.
Beyond these domestic carriers, DEN welcomed Turkish Airlines and Aer Lingus this past Summer to much enthusiasm from the market. In fact, Turkish just announced that its service to Istanbul would be increased to once-daily in the summer of 2025.
DEN plans to reach the 100 million passenger milestone by as early as 2027. According to the International Airport Review, the airport is focused on evolving the customer experience through initiatives like improved security wait times, more family-friendly waiting spaces, and more concessions.
Its move towards biometric boarding technology is another step towards supporting growth in the Mile High City.
