The Transportation Security Administration says its TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program will expand to 65 airports in the spring of this year, extending the availability of face-matching identity verification in participating TSA PreCheck lanes. The agency describes Touchless ID as an option for TSA PreCheck travelers who have a valid passport, with availability dependent on airport deployment and participating airlines.
Touchless ID enables eligible passengers to complete identity verification at the checkpoint using facial matching, reducing the need to present a physical ID at the document check point in enabled lanes. The program is not mandatory. Travelers can opt out and proceed using standard identity presentation processes, and published guidance and secondary coverage repeatedly emphasize that passengers should still carry physical identification as a backup.
TSA’s program page describes the expansion timeline as Spring 2026, while travel and industry outlets have described the same expansion as early 2026 or a first-quarter buildup. The core operational detail is that the program’s footprint will grow materially, with TSA linking availability to the combination of an airport deployment and airline participation.
Industry and biometrics press coverage has described a current baseline footprint of 15 airports offering Touchless ID lanes, citing examples such as Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Newark, JFK, LaGuardia, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Francisco, and Reagan National. TSA’s own materials emphasize that coverage is tied to participating airports and airlines, and lists published elsewhere should be treated as secondary.
Airline enablement varies, but at least one major carrier has published consumer instructions on participation steps. Delta describes an opt-in process that includes adding passport information and a Known Traveler Number to a SkyMiles profile, and choosing Touchless ID where it is offered.
The expansion is part of a broader trend toward biometric options at checkpoints. American Airlines launched Touchless ID at four airports in May 2025, and TSA has been expanding the program to additional airports throughout the year. Major airports including Denver and Las Vegas have introduced dedicated Touchless ID lanes.
TSA continues to present Touchless ID as a convenience feature layered onto TSA PreCheck rather than a replacement for standard requirements. Eligibility and availability depend on the traveler holding an acceptable passport credential, being a TSA PreCheck passenger, and moving through an enabled lane at an airport with an airline that supports the program.
Sources: TSA, Travel Weekly, Travel + Leisure, Business Travel News, The Points Guy, Delta, San Francisco Chronicle
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
