(Des Moines, IA) -- The Des Moines International Airport is one of about two dozen airports in the U-S now using new facial recognition technology. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) unveiled the technology this week in Des Moines.
The CAT-2 (Credential Authentication Technology) machines validate passengers’ IDs at the checkpoint and eliminate the need for a passenger to show their boarding pass. The machine has a camera that captures a real-time photo of the traveler and compares it against the traveler’s photo on their ID. The TSA touts the technology as a secure, efficient way to move passengers thru the TSA checkpoints at airports.
The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids also has the new technology.
Des Moines International Airport officials say leisure travel is back to pre-pandemic levels. In the month of June, 285-thousand passengers went thru Des Moines, which was a new monthly record. The The previous monthly record was 269,000 passengers in June 2022.