Airports Council International (ACI) World and Amadeus have just unveiled the winners of the 2025 Technology Innovation Awards, and this year’s list reads like a blueprint for the airport of the future. Think biometrics that replace queues, data-driven cleaning systems that predict what needs attention before anyone complains, and airport terminals designed like living, breathing ecosystems. If you’re curious about where global travel is heading, these winners give a surprisingly clear view.

Air travel is about to hit 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, and the long-term projections go even further: 17.2 billion travelers by 2043. That’s almost double today’s numbers. At that scale, airports can’t simply “get bigger”—they need to get smarter. And that’s exactly what this year’s winners showcase.

This Year’s Big Winners

ACI and Amadeus selected standout projects that aren’t just theoretical or tucked inside innovation labs. These are live, operational solutions used every day by real travelers moving through real airports.

Best Innovation in Airport Passenger Related Processes

The Future Checked In: Biometric-Enabled Self Bag Drop at Kempegowda International Airport
Kempegowda is pushing the boundaries of what “self-service” really means. Their biometric bag-drop experience cuts waiting times dramatically and delivers a smoother, more predictable flow for both travelers and airport operations. It’s the kind of practical use of digital identity that’s been promised for years—now actually happening at scale.

Best Innovation in Airport Operations & Installations Management

Smart Cleaning System at Queen Alia International Airport
Facility management may not sound glamorous, but it directly affects the passenger experience. Queen Alia’s AI-powered monitoring and cleaning system analyzes foot traffic, usage, and environmental data to dispatch cleaning staff where and when they’re needed most. Clean spaces, predictive maintenance, fewer complaints.

Best Airport Innovation Leader (Individual)

Pablo Lopez Loeches, Aena
Pablo Lopez Loeches has been steering ideation and entrepreneurship at Aena, Europe’s largest airport operator. His leadership shows how crucial “innovation management” is—good ideas are easy; deploying them across complex airport systems is the hard part.

Best Innovation for Airports with 5 Million Passengers or Less

Bioclimatic Airport Building at Roland Garros Airport
This project puts sustainability front and center. By using naturally regulated ventilation, smart shading, and passive cooling, the airport reduces energy consumption while maintaining a comfortable traveler experience. It’s climate-smart design with measurable impact.

Why These Innovations Matter

ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci summed it up clearly: these solutions work “under real pressure.” Airports aren’t tech demos. They’re ecosystems where even minor issues can ripple into massive disruptions. Innovation that functions in this environment is innovation that truly matters.

Amadeus EVP AirOps Rudy Daniello added another reality check: digital identity and biometrics are mature now—not future concepts. They’ve moved past experimentation into real-world deployment, setting the stage for new levels of automation and capacity growth.

These technologies also require deep collaboration across airlines, airports, and governments. That’s something we’re increasingly seeing in places like Singapore, Dubai, Istanbul, Madrid, Abu Dhabi, and Seoul—major hubs that are already planning for double-digit passenger growth.

The Global Stage Behind the Awards

This year’s winners were announced at the Airports Innovate Gala Dinner, part of a broader conference hosted by Korea Airports Corporation and jointly organized by ACI World, ACI EUROPE, and ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East. The event is now one of the most relevant global gatherings for airport innovation, acting almost like a yearly snapshot of where the industry is heading.

Who Are ACI and Amadeus?

ACI represents 830 members running 2,181 airports across 170 countries—essentially the world’s airport voice. Amadeus, meanwhile, is one of the travel industry’s foundational tech players, powering everything from airline operations to global distribution and airport systems. Their long-term commitment to sustainability—recognized on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 13 years—has also put them in the center of industry-wide transformation.

Conclusion: What This Means for Airport Tech (and Why It Matters Now)

The 2025 winners reflect a trend we’re seeing across all leading travel hubs: airports are becoming digital-first infrastructures, not just buildings that handle flights. Compared to other innovation-driven players—like Changi’s fully automated immigration, Dubai’s biometrics corridor, or Heathrow’s digital twin projects—the airports recognized this year show that cutting-edge innovation isn’t limited to mega-hubs. Smaller airports, like Roland Garros, are proving that sustainability-forward design can be a competitive advantage, not just an environmental talking point.

Reliable sources such as IATA and SITA’s 2024 Air Transport IT Insights report point to the same trajectory: automation, biometrics, and green infrastructure will dominate airport investments over the next decade. The airports recognized by ACI and Amadeus are already putting those strategies into action.

If 2024 was about experimenting, 2025 is shaping up to be the year airports scale real, everyday innovation—and travelers will feel the difference long before they reach the runway.