IndiGo, Digi Yatra launch international passenger trials at seven Indian airports
The trials, which began in the beta phase in late October, will continue until December 2026 at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports, the airlines said in a release on Sunday.
The initiative extends Digi Yatra’s digital identity platform, currently used for domestic air travel, to international departures.
Eligible passengers holding valid e-passports can use biometric authentication at key airport touchpoints, including terminal entry, security hold areas and boarding gates.
To participate, passengers have to generate an international digital ID through the Digi Yatra app by scanning the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of their e-passport and using Near Field Communication (NFC) to read its embedded chip.
Following biometric verification, a secure digital credential is stored locally in the passenger’s smartphone wallet.
Passengers can upload their boarding passes to the app for contactless terminal entry.
After completing mandatory document verification at the airline check-in counter, they can use facial authentication at security hold areas and boarding gates.
Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer of IndiGo, said the trials marked an important step towards extending secure digital identity and biometric technology to international travel, enhancing passenger convenience, security and operational efficiency.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said the initiative would explore the use of e-passport-based digital credentials and interoperability with international frameworks such as the International Air Transport Association’s One ID and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Public Key Directory.
The trials are limited to Indian nationals holding valid e-passports travelling on select international IndiGo flights.
