Experts predict how we’ll be traveling in 50 years

While Europe’s upcoming biometric Entry-Exit System may sound like cutting-edge technology, predictions for what travel will look like in 50 years’ time are more akin to science fiction films. In fact, low-cost airline easyJet recently commissioned a report from a panel of experts, including academics, futurologists, and business advisors, to forecast what travel may look like in 2070.

The resulting 2070: The Future Travel Report makes predictions on holiday booking, airport and flight experience, and accommodation, including everything from ‘cardiac signature’ passports to 3D printed holiday wardrobes. Here’s what travellers might expect from the future of travel.

Holiday booking will be a Meta experience where virtual reality experiences will allow customers to explore and try out holiday destinations before making a purchase, instead of relying on glossy brochures or social media. According to Professor Birgitte Andersen, the CEO of Big Innovation Centre, this will benefit people with limited time or financial options who need to make an educated choice.

Journeys will be smoother and faster in the future, with rapid transport links to airports. According to Dr Patrick Dixon, Chairman of Global Change Ltd., 85% of travellers in many countries will arrive at airports by electric-powered public transport, including autonomous (self-driving) vehicles. It’s even possible that travellers will be able to travel to the airport via e-VTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxis, whisking them from home to the airport.

Airport check-in and security will be increasingly sophisticated and queue-free, as facial recognition software will identify passengers and match them with their booked flights. Travellers may not even need luggage, as they will only require their measurements for a recyclable clothing service that 3D prints their wardrobe at their destination.

The aircraft of the future will focus on comfort and personalisation, with biomimetic design inspired by efficiencies found in nature. Dr Melissa Sterry, a consultant, suggests that innovations in materials science will lead to lighter, yet stronger materials, resulting in a tailored comfort experience while maintaining safety.

Facial recognition and biometric passports are already in use, but by 2070, experts predict that all ticketing and identity documentation will be digital. Travellers’ biometric data, such as fingerprints and retina scans, will be stored in a global database, including their heartbeat, as everyone’s ‘cardiac signature’ is unique.

Finally, when it comes to hotels, experts predict that driverless cars will be used for airport pickups and that digital holographic personal concierges will be available. Hotel rooms will be customisable to suit personal tastes.

According to trend forecaster Shivvy Jervis, hotels will function as a single AI-human organism that controls all aspects of a stay, customised to the guest’s preferences. A digital virtual room assistant will greet guests and assist them with everything from ordering towels to making dinner reservations.