The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu has deployed a new biometric arrivals system from SITA, implementing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) technology to accelerate passenger processing while maintaining security standards.
The EPP system, integrated with CBP’s Traveler Verification Service, enables U.S. citizens and soon permanent residents to complete processing in under three seconds. According to early results shared by the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) and SITA, the system has reduced passenger wait times by twenty five percent and cut processing times by seventy four percent compared to the previous arrivals workflow.
The installation follows months of live testing at Honolulu’s airport, where CBP and HDOT trialed wireless “face pods” at various locations to optimize passenger flow before final deployment. The biometric powered infrastructure now allows airport and border staff to process higher passenger volumes while preserving security and accuracy.
“Across the U.S., border agencies are facing a dual challenge: rising passenger numbers and the need to maintain the highest levels of security,” said Shawn Gregor, President, Americas at SITA. “Biometrics are becoming the gold standard to solve both, and Honolulu is showing how this technology can deliver real results with shorter queues, faster processing, and a smoother journey for travelers.”
HDOT Director Ed Sniffen said the new arrivals process is already showing measurable improvements. “With SITA’s technology and our partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Enhanced Passenger Processing is improving the arrivals experience at HNL. The improvements in speed and efficiency benefit both passengers and staff, and the flexibility of the system means we can adapt as travel volumes continue to grow.”
The implementation at HNL builds on biometric entry deployments at Los Angeles International Airport and other U.S. airports using the same CBP EPP framework. The initiative follows similar programs such as Minneapolis–St. Paul’s rollout of facial comparison for U.S. citizens and Nashville International Airport’s deployment of CBP’s facial biometric entry system, all part of the government’s wider effort to expand biometric border automation nationwide.
CBP’s EPP program continues to roll out across hundreds of airports, advancing the U.S. strategy to balance security and passenger convenience through biometric verification. Honolulu’s system, powered by SITA, reinforces the trend toward automated border control that has already taken shape at major hubs across the country.
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
