Marking a major step toward passport-free travel for Russian passengers. Developed in collaboration with Pulkovo Airport and the Biometric Technology Center, the service was trialed in December 2025 and is slated for a commercial rollout in the second half of 2026
The service allows passengers to complete the entire airport journey—from initial check-in to entering the sterile departure area and final boarding at the gate—using only facial recognition.
No Passport Required: Once registered, travelers can clear pre-flight security and identification checks without needing to present a physical passport or paper boarding pass.
Integration with State Systems: The technology is integrated with Russia’s Unified Biometric System and the Unified System of Identification and Authentication (ESIA), ensuring data is handled through secure government-operated frameworks.
Enhanced Security: Technical implementation was supported by Aeroflot’s IT subsidiary, AFLT-Systems, and utilizes CryptoPro software for high-level cryptographic protection.
Implementation Timeline
Following the successful December trials at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, Aeroflot is now working with government authorities to finalize the necessary regulatory and legal frameworks. The airline expects the service to be available to the general public by late 2026.
Crucially, the airline emphasized that biometrics will remain an optional convenience; passengers will always retain the choice to use traditional passport-based identification for their flights.
About Aeroflot
As Russia’s flagship carrier, Aeroflot remains a dominant force in the region’s aviation sector. In 2024, the Aeroflot Group (which includes Rossiya and Pobeda) carried over 55 million passengers. The airline is currently undergoing a major fleet modernization, with plans to acquire 339 domestically manufactured aircraft to bolster its regional and long-haul networks.
