Reopening Global Travel with IATA Travel Pass

IATA Travel Pass digital health credential exchange

Safe, contactless travel

As the COVID-19 pandemic brings the world to a halt, many look to digital health credentials as a way to reopen society. Such credentials, including test results and vaccination records, enable organizations to mitigate risk, rebuild confidence, and invite consumers to travel, work, attend concerts, and visit loved ones once again.

For the airline industry, this is a mission-critical issue. Globally, passenger demand is down 70%, and airlines and governments alike are starting to mandate negative test results for travelers.

To address these concerns, we’ve partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to develop IATA Travel Pass. With Travel Pass, consumers can store digital health records (such as negative test results) and travel records (such as passports) directly on their phones, with the ability to effortlessly and privately share these records with agents and immigration authorities.

Here’s how it works:

A passenger downloads the Travel Pass mobile app and registers their travel details, including their passport information
The passenger is informed of what test they need to travel, and then goes to get tested from an IATA-approved COVID testing lab
When they arrive at the test center, the passenger scans a QR code with their Travel Pass app to form a secure connection and confirm their identity
Once the COVID test result is available, the lab issues the test result credential to the passenger directly—using the secure and private connection created when the test was taken
Using an industry-leading database of travel requirements, IATA then confirms if the health credential is sufficient for the travel destination and route. If so, IATA sends an “OK to Travel” status to the passenger’s phone
Before arriving at the airport, the passenger is invited to share these credentials directly with the airline to prove that they’ve been cleared for travel—meaning they can arrive completely documented, avoiding physical check-in steps or having to exchange paper documents

For airlines, Travel Pass reduces the number of check-in agents needed and enables smart compliance across a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

For the rest of us, it means we can travel safely and confidently once again.

“

[With Travel Pass,] My face becomes my passport and boarding pass. A passenger can walk from the curbside to the plane without having to physically exchange documents. This is what we’ve been working on with Evernym over the last several months.”

Alan Murray Hayden

Head Airport, Passenger and Security Products, IATA

As of October 2021, seven airlines (Emirates, Etihad Airways, Jazeera Airways, Jetstar, Qantas, Qatar Airways, and Royal Jordanian) have announced plans to implement Travel Pass and another 50 are in the trial phase.

While the current focus is on COVID-19 credentials, the use cases for this initiative go far beyond the current pandemic and digital passports. We’re already speaking with major airlines and travel groups about how verifiable credentials can be used for passenger identity and authentication, secure messaging, loyalty programs, and the sharing of verified flight information beyond the flight, for example with travel agents, hotels, and entertainment groups.

To learn more about Travel Pass and other health credential use cases, browse our resources below or get in touch with us.