African travelers are among the most satisfied with air travel globally, with 89 per cent reporting overall satisfaction, unchanged from 2025. However, they are also the most likely to be discouraged from visiting a destination due to immigration requirements. According to the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 2026 Global Passenger Survey, 52 per cent of African travelers said immigration requirements had discouraged them from visiting a particular destination, the highest proportion of any region.
The survey found that complexity was the leading concern among African travelers deterred by entry requirements, followed by cost. Despite this, interest in digital travel solutions is strong, with 82 per cent of African travelers willing to share biometric information if it allowed them to skip showing a passport or boarding pass at airport checkpoints. This is above the global average of 78 per cent. Additionally, 87 per cent of African travelers expressed interest in using a digital passport for online check-in, compared with 84 per cent globally.
Biometric adoption in Africa remains among the lowest globally, but 49 per cent of African travelers had experienced biometrics at an airport in the past 12 months, up four percentage points from 2025. This compares with a global average of 58 per cent. African travelers are also embracing artificial intelligence (AI) for travel planning, with 52 per cent reporting using AI, above the global average of 49 per cent. The most common use of AI is searching for flights to a specific destination.
IATA's Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen, said passengers are embracing technology to make travel easier, but many continue to face barriers from complex immigration and visa processes. He emphasized the importance of airlines ensuring their offerings are visible in AI tools and providing convenient links to convert an AI conversation into a real booking. Careen also urged governments to adopt common standards to allow airlines to verify digital travel documents efficiently.
The survey found that entry requirements are an increasing barrier to travel, with 43 per cent of passengers globally saying immigration requirements had discouraged them from visiting a destination, up from 33 per cent in 2025. Among travelers discouraged by immigration requirements, 53 per cent said the process was too complex. Privacy and cost were each cited by 17 per cent. Passengers increasingly want visa processes to be digital, faster, and completed before they reach the airport.
Globally, 86 per cent of passengers said they would be willing to share immigration information digitally before departure to speed up processes, up from 83 per cent in 2025. Some 45 per cent would prefer to complete immigration procedures before arriving at the airport, while 60 per cent prefer applying for a visa online rather than in person at a consulate or embassy. IATA said more than 100 countries issue eVisas, but there is little consistency in how they are checked.
IATA urged governments to support travel growth by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate checks, and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials. For Africa, where interest in digital solutions is high but biometric use remains comparatively low, the findings suggest a major opportunity to modernise airport processes and visa systems. A common framework for issuing and accepting digital passports—or Digital Travel Credentials—would be essential to making biometrics the norm for international travel.
Key points
- African travelers are satisfied with air travel but face barriers from complex immigration and visa processes.
- Interest in digital travel solutions is strong among African travelers.
- Governments can support travel growth by simplifying entry requirements and adopting common standards for digital travel documents.
