Biometrics Trial At Charlotte Airport Cuts Processing Time By 50%
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has slashed average customs processing times for returning U.S. citizens by nearly 50 percent after launching an Enhanced Primary Processing trial with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Since early February, Delta Air Lines hub CLT has operated facial recognition kiosks under CBP’s Travel Verification System to streamline entry for U.S. nationals, reducing average wait times from 16 minutes to just 8.6 minutes.
The trial, part of CBP’s broader push to introduce biometrics at major gateways, is also running at Dallas‑Fort Worth, Denver and Seattle‑Tacoma airports. At CLT, the technology compares live facial images captured at a kiosk against passport photos and airline manifests transmitted up to 24 hours before arrival. Passengers who consent to the process present themselves at designated EPP kiosks, where cameras verify their identity and automatically route them toward customs clearance, bypassing traditional passport inspections by CBP officers.
While only U.S. citizens participate directly in the biometric trial, the knock‑on effect has benefited all international arrivals at Charlotte Douglas. Non‑U.S. passengers, who continue to process through standard lanes, have seen their average wait times fall from 22 minutes to approximately 14.3 minutes. Airport officials attribute the system’s efficiency gains to fewer bottlenecks at primary inspection stations, especially during peak arrival windows when up to ten international flights may land within a few hours.
Under the Enhanced Primary Processing program, travelers simply scan their passports or travel documents at a kiosk, have their photograph taken, and answer a minimal set of routine questions. Those declaring goods purchased abroad still proceed to a CBP officer for final clearance after biometric verification. Passengers who opt out of facial recognition are redirected to traditional inspection booths, ensuring that participation remains voluntary.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport representatives emphasize that the facial recognition service is provided at no extra cost to travelers. Frequent flyers and low‑risk travelers enrolled in Global Entry can bypass the EPP kiosks altogether by using their dedicated lanes, though they must maintain their five‑year membership and undergo a separate background check and interview process for the $120 fee.
CBP projects that roughly two million international arrivals will pass through CLT by the end of September 2025. With U.S. citizens making up about 85 percent of those travelers, the agency expects the Enhanced Primary Processing initiative to deliver sustained reductions in queue times and improve overall passenger throughput. Airport leadership sees the initiative as a critical step toward modernizing border security while maintaining high service levels for both business and leisure travelers.
“Our goal is to create a secure yet seamless entry experience,” said a CLT spokesperson, noting that biometric processing helps prevent overcrowding in the federal inspection station and primary hall. “During peak periods, efficient routing of U.S. citizens through designated kiosks alleviates pressure on CBP officers, allowing them to focus resources where manual inspections are necessary.”
As passenger volumes rebound toward pre‑pandemic levels, Charlotte Douglas aims to maintain its status as one of the busiest airports in the country by embracing technology that enhances security and passenger convenience. CBP’s early results at CLT will inform future deployments at other international gateways, paving the way for wider adoption of biometrics in U.S. entry lanes. By cutting customs wait times for U.S. citizens and indirectly speeding processing for all travelers, the Enhanced Primary Processing trial demonstrates the potential of facial recognition to transform the international arrival experience.
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