American Airlines Rolls Out Touchless ID System at Charlotte Airport Security

American Airlines launched a touchless identification system on Monday, Dec. 22 for AAdvantage loyalty program members traveling through Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The new process uses facial recognition technology at TSA PreCheck security checkpoints, letting passengers pass through without showing a boarding pass or physical ID.

The program matches a traveler's image to photos provided to the government earlier. These include pictures from passports, Global Entry, or visa cards.

AAdvantage customers over 18 can opt in. They provide their membership number, passport, and a TSA PreCheck traveler number through their profile on aa.com. Members must renew once a year.

"Passengers can be identified and verified using their face as their identification, allowing the passenger to have their phones and IDs safely packed away before beginning the screening process," said Greg Hawko, TSA's CLT Federal Security Director, in a news release, per the Charlotte Observer.

Jose Bonilla, TSA deputy federal security director, said travelers "can keep those safely away as you approach the checkpoint," according to WBTV.

TSA has used the technology for domestic travel for several years since the pandemic, according to spokesman Carter Langston. Passengers arriving at CLT from other countries have used facial recognition since May 2021. Those departing for another country have used it since 2023.

The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the process. They believe it lets authorities track people in public without their knowledge or consent, according to its website. The ACLU sees facial recognition as a threat to privacy and supports the Traveler Privacy Protection Act, a bill that would regulate and limit the TSA's use of facial recognition technology at airports.

At CLT, the service is available at Security Checkpoint 2. Charlotte Douglas is one of 12 airports where this service is offered, including facilities serving Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle, and the Dallas–Fort Worth region.

Charlotte Douglas is the sixth-busiest airport in the world for takeoffs and landings. The facility had 596,583 flights last year — an 11% increase from 2023.

The hub is the second-largest for the carrier, accounting for about 90% of all flights out of the location. American planned to operate more than 11,700 flights at Charlotte Douglas with more than 1.4 million seats available for the holiday travel period from Dec. 18 through Jan. 5.