Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has partnered with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to implement Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP), becoming the 23rd U.S. airport to offer the biometric service for international arrivals.
The voluntary system requires no prior enrollment for U.S. citizens. A camera at the CBP inspection area matches travelers’ photos to existing document information already on file, completing the process in seconds without physical contact.
“This initiative is the result of the strong collaboration between our Technology and Operations teams, the airlines, and CBP,” said Aviation Director Chad Makovsky. “Phoenix Sky Harbor continues to grow its international travel market, and this exceptional new program is yet another way we reinforce our brand of being ‘America’s Friendliest Airport.’”
The EPP deployment is part of a comprehensive biometric ecosystem at PHX. Both terminals now offer TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, which uses facial recognition to verify travelers’ identities so they can move through security without presenting a physical ID. CLEAR+ members can use eGates with biometric verification, and CBP biometric exit is available for departing international passengers.
The TSA’s ongoing expansion of biometric hardware across U.S. airports has accelerated the shift toward touchless travel processing at major hubs. Phoenix Sky Harbor’s multi-layered approach combines arrivals, departures, and security screening under a single biometric strategy.
Other enhancements at PHX include a reservation-based screening service called PHX RESERVE, which allows travelers without TSA PreCheck to book a time slot for the security checkpoint, and an Early Bag Check service at the Rental Car Center and East Economy parking for select domestic airlines.
The airport said the biometric programs are designed to reduce processing time while allowing DHS officers to focus on security rather than administrative tasks.
The EPP rollout at Phoenix Sky Harbor reflects CBP’s accelerating push toward biometric processing at all major international gateway airports. Since launching the program in 2017, CBP has steadily expanded coverage with a focus on high-volume hubs. The agency has emphasized that photographs captured during the process are automatically deleted for U.S. citizens within 12 hours of identity verification, while images of foreign nationals are retained in accordance with existing visa and immigration record policies.
Privacy advocates have raised questions about the voluntary framing of the program, noting that travelers who decline biometric processing still face standard document-based inspection but may experience longer wait times as a result. CBP has maintained that opting out carries no adverse consequences for travelers.
Sources: Future Travel Experience
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
