(MIAMI, FLORIDA) Miami International Airport has rolled out what officials describe as the largest single deployment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) system in the country, using SITA’s Smart Path biometric technology across three major passport control areas. The move brings biometric technology into the core of how arriving international travelers are screened at one of the busiest gateways to the United States, with the system designed to check a traveler’s face against CBP records in about three seconds.
How the system works
The new system relies on 12 biometric facial recognition pods placed across passport control in concourses D, E, and J. When a traveler steps up to a pod, a camera captures a live photo and compares it, in real time, with images already stored in CBP’s database. According to airport and CBP information, this match process takes only a few seconds while still keeping the checks tied to existing federal security records.
For passengers, that means fewer minutes spent in line and a more direct path to the inspection booth or exit.
Each pod includes screens that face CBP officers, allowing real-time monitoring of what the system is seeing and doing. Officers can watch the process, confirm matches, and intervene when needed, keeping human judgment in the loop. Officials say this mix of automation plus officer oversight is meant to speed up inspection without lowering security standards or giving up control at the border.
Mobility and operational flexibility
One practical feature that stands out is that the pods are mobile and wireless-enabled. Instead of being fixed into lanes, they can be moved and rearranged as passenger flows change throughout the day, week, or travel seasons.
Benefits of this mobility:
– Reduce very long waits when several international flights arrive at once
– Shift pods between lines or concourses to match demand
– Adjust CBP staffing more easily to where officers are most needed
– Keep passenger flows moving without major construction
Fit with Miami’s broader digital strategy
Miami International Airport’s deployment is part of a wider digital transformation strategy at the facility. Airport leaders have been working for several years to add more biometric tools to both departures and arrivals, aiming for a smoother, more predictable experience from check‑in to boarding and then to passport control on arrival.
The EPP rollout fits into CBP’s national goal of expanding biometric processing at major U.S. ports of entry to improve both security and efficiency. CBP describes this approach in more detail on its official biometrics page at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which explains how facial comparison is used to confirm identity for international travelers.
Installation and scalability
One key point for passengers is that this Enhanced Passenger Processing system works on top of existing infrastructure, rather than requiring major construction. The Smart Path pods and software can be installed in current halls and scaled up over time as more terminals and higher passenger volumes come online.
For Miami, this means:
– The airport can extend the same type of biometric checks to additional areas without tearing apart arrival halls
– Modular growth is possible as routes, carriers, or seasonal traffic increase
– Other large U.S. airports may consider similar systems where space and construction are constraints
Background: Miami’s biometric experience
Miami has not come to biometric technology fresh. Since 2019, the airport has partnered with SITA, airlines such as Lufthansa, and CBP on biometric exit at departure gates. On these outbound flights, passengers can board by having their face scanned, with the system using a facial comparison instead of a paper boarding pass or showing a physical passport at the gate.
Airport data shows that this boarding process has cut boarding times by up to 80%, a dramatic change for both airlines and travelers. Officials plan to expand that exit program to more than 130 gates, which would put most international departures under a biometric boarding model.
That earlier exit work helped Miami move quickly on Enhanced Passenger Processing for arrivals. The airport, airlines, and CBP officers already had experience with SITA’s Smart Path tools, data flows, and operational details such as lighting, camera placement, and passenger behavior at the point of capture. Bringing the same style of biometric technology to passport control builds on that base and offers some consistency for travelers who may now see face-based checks both when they depart and when they arrive.
Operational and security impacts
From an immigration and border control point of view, the shift to EPP at Miami matters in several ways:
- Reduced wait times
- Can limit crowding in secure areas
- Benefits families, elderly travelers, and those with tight connections
- Lower pressure on CBP officers
- Officers can focus on questions, secondary screening, and complex cases
- System handles basic identity confirmation in a few seconds
- Maintained security standards
- System relies on existing CBP records and watchlists, not separate airport or private databases
- Face captured at the pod is compared to records CBP already holds, linking the person to a travel document on file
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, similar deployments at other ports of entry have shown that facial comparison can be more accurate than manual checks alone when used correctly, particularly in high‑volume environments.
Important: The system is intended to speed processing while preserving security by integrating automated facial comparison with officer oversight and existing CBP databases.
Pods are mobile and can be relocated to balance queues. If lines are crowded, you may be directed to a different pod or concourse; plan for extra time during peak travel periods.
Passenger reaction, privacy, and trust
The Miami deployment highlights how digital tools are changing the passenger experience at the border. For many travelers, the first point of contact on arrival to the United States is increasingly standing briefly in front of a camera rather than handing a passport directly to an officer.
Key considerations:
– Privacy and data storage concerns for some passengers
– The role of machines in immigration checks may raise questions
– Frequent flyers may prioritize speed and predictability
– Clear passenger information and transparency will shape public trust and acceptance
What’s next and why it matters
Miami International’s use of CBP’s Enhanced Passenger Processing with SITA’s Smart Path is a significant test of how far biometric tools can go in reshaping the front line of immigration and customs control.
Potential outcomes to watch:
– Measured reductions in wait times
– Traveler and officer feedback on usability and reliability
– Policy decisions about rolling out facial comparison systems across more ports of entry
The results at Miami are likely to be watched closely by other airports and policymakers deciding how quickly to expand biometric processing at major U.S. entry points.
Miami International Airport deployed CBP’s Enhanced Passenger Processing using SITA Smart Path across concourses D, E and J with 12 mobile biometric pods. The system captures a traveler’s face and compares it to CBP records in about three seconds while officers monitor matches in real time. Mobility allows rapid reconfiguration to handle passenger surges without major construction. The rollout builds on MIA’s biometric exit program and aims to reduce wait times, preserve security, and scale to more terminals over time.
