U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expanding its use of artificial intelligence, biometric identity checks and advanced traveler-processing tools as the United States prepares for a surge of international arrivals tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. For travelers, the change is less about a single new checkpoint product and more about a broader shift in how international arrivals are screened, verified and routed at U.S. airports.
The fresh signal came on May 28, when a senior CBP technology official said at a public-sector technology conference that the agency is scaling AI, biometric systems and advanced screening capabilities to support major global events. The stated goal is to reduce routine administrative work for officers, strengthen vetting and help frontline staff focus more attention on traveler purpose, intent and behavior during periods of heavy volume.
That matters for the U.S. travel market because international entry processing is one of the most important pressure points in the passenger journey. A flight can arrive on time, bags can be unloaded quickly and ground transportation can be ready, but long passport-control waits can still shape the first impression of a trip. With World Cup matches taking place across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, airports serving host cities and major connecting gateways are preparing for a complicated mix of fans, teams, media, business travelers and ordinary summer passengers.
What CBP is expanding
CBP already uses facial biometric comparison technology at airports across the United States. According to the agency's current public biometrics materials, the technology is used to process travelers entering the United States at 238 airports, including all 14 CBP Preclearance locations, and is also used at dozens of international departure locations. The system compares a live image with existing travel-document or government-held images to verify identity during entry or exit processing.
The new May 28 comments point to a wider operational layer around that existing infrastructure. CBP officials described the use of AI and machine learning to combine biographic and biometric information, examine travel records and identify unusual patterns before travelers arrive. In plain terms, the agency is trying to make the border process more predictive and less dependent on manual review at the booth, especially when international arrivals are concentrated around major events.
For most travelers, this does not mean that every airport interaction will look radically different overnight. Many passengers already encounter facial comparison at passport control, boarding gates or selected touchless identity programs. The more meaningful change is that biometric systems and AI-assisted screening are becoming normal parts of the travel infrastructure rather than limited pilots.
Why major events change the airport equation
The World Cup creates a useful test of the system because it compresses international demand into specific cities and dates. Fans may fly into one city, attend a match, continue to another U.S. host city and then cross into Canada or Mexico for another game. Others may arrive through a large international gateway even if their final destination is elsewhere. That kind of movement increases pressure on passport control, baggage halls, customs inspections and connecting-flight banks.
Airports such as Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York JFK, Los Angeles and Miami are especially important because they combine international arrivals with large domestic networks. A slow arrivals process at one of these hubs can affect not only visitors entering the United States, but also U.S. citizens returning from abroad and travelers trying to make domestic connections.
The 2028 Olympics will raise the stakes again, particularly in Southern California. By expanding technology ahead of both events, CBP is effectively trying to build a processing model that can handle surges without relying only on more booths, more paper checks or more manual triage.
What travelers should know about biometrics
Biometric processing is designed to make identity verification faster, but it can feel unfamiliar to travelers who have not used it before. At airports using facial comparison, passengers may be asked to pause for a photo at a camera connected to CBP's traveler-verification systems. If the system confirms a match, the traveler can continue through the regular inspection process or, in some cases, a simplified path. If the system does not confirm the match, a CBP officer or airline representative can use an alternate identity-check process.
U.S. citizens and many foreign visitors may also see different versions of biometric technology depending on the airport, airline and program involved. Some uses are tied to CBP entry or exit processing. Others are connected to TSA identity checks, airline bag drop or touchless boarding. That can make the experience feel inconsistent from one airport to another, even when the underlying goal is similar: verifying that the traveler is the person connected to the passport, visa, ticket or trusted-traveler record.
Travelers should not assume that technology eliminates the need for planning. During the World Cup and other peak periods, international passengers should still allow generous connection time, keep passports and travel documents accessible, check entry requirements before departure and monitor live flight information. Odyssey travelers can use live boards for major gateways such as ATL, DFW, JFK, LAX and MIA before heading to or connecting through those airports.
The privacy and trust question
The expansion also comes with a trust challenge. Biometric systems can speed up travel, but they also raise questions about data retention, opt-out choices, accuracy, oversight and how AI-supported screening decisions are reviewed. CBP's public materials say its facial biometric process is intended to provide identity verification and that alternate processing is available when the technology cannot complete a match. Still, travelers and privacy advocates are likely to keep pressing for clear explanations of what data is used, how long it is kept and how errors are handled.
For the travel industry, the practical issue is confidence. If biometric processing shortens lines and makes arrivals more predictable, it can improve the experience for international visitors, airlines, airports, tour operators and meeting planners. If travelers see the systems as confusing or opaque, the same technology can become another source of anxiety at the border.
What it means for the U.S. travel market
CBP's AI and biometric push is part of a larger modernization trend at U.S. airports. Airlines, TSA, airport operators and border agencies are all looking for ways to reduce friction without lowering security standards. The World Cup gives that effort a near-term urgency because the United States has a rare opportunity to make a strong first impression on a global travel audience.
The most realistic expectation is not a perfect arrivals experience. Weather, staffing, airline schedules and passenger documentation issues will still create delays. But more automated identity verification and better pre-arrival screening could help CBP manage peaks more efficiently at the airports that matter most to international travel.
For American travelers, the lesson is simple: airport technology is changing quickly, especially at international gateways. A smoother return from abroad may increasingly depend on facial comparison, touchless identity checks and data-driven routing long before a traveler reaches the inspection booth. For the U.S. travel industry, that makes border technology one of the key infrastructure stories to watch as the country moves from summer 2026 into a packed calendar of global events.