Why real-time data will be key to in-airport experiences in 2026
Learn how leading airports use live insights to reduce stress and maximise passenger spend.
The in-airport experience is where expectations either hold up or fall apart. Passengers arrive with preconceptions shaped by previous experiences, online information, and pre-bookings. The gap between those expectations and terminal reality determines whether passengers feel confident and ready to spend or stressed and focused solely on reaching their gate.
For years, airports have lacked a clear, shared view of information. They know broadly what’s happening across the terminal, such as queue lengths and gate changes, but passengers don’t. This creates uncertainty, hindering both satisfaction and commercial performance. Stressed passengers rush through terminals, bypassing retail and food outlets, making rushed decisions or avoiding them entirely.
Real-time data changes this dynamic. When passengers access accurate, current information, they make better decisions, move confidently, and engage more readily with commercial opportunities. When airports have real-time visibility into passenger behaviour and terminal conditions, they respond proactively, optimising both operations and revenue.
The airports that will excel in 2026 recognise real-time data as a key part of their strategy, transforming the entire in-terminal experience.
Real-time information transforms passenger confidence and spending
Walk through most terminals, and you’ll see passengers constantly checking phones, seeking information on gate announcements, security waiting times, and so forth.
Without accurate answers, passengers adopt cautious approaches, arriving at gates far earlier than necessary and missing opportunities to engage with airport services. Traditional responses, static signage and periodic announcements can’t adapt to changing conditions. When security queues suddenly lengthen or gate changes create confusion, static information actively misleads passengers and erodes trust.
Real-time data infrastructure enables a different approach. Digital displays show current security wait times updated continuously based on actual throughput. Mobile apps send gate change notifications before passengers see them on boards. Interactive wayfinding routes passengers around congestion or towards less busy security lanes.
The impact is significant. When passengers trust the information they receive, they feel more in control. That control reduces anxiety, and reduced anxiety changes spending behaviour. Research shows that for every 10 minutes passengers spend in security queues, their retail spending drops by 30%. Passengers who know they have 40 minutes until boarding and that security takes 10 minutes behave very differently from those uncertain whether they have time to stop.
This has a key impact on commercial performance. J.D. Power research indicates passengers who are “delighted” with their airport experience spend an average of $44 in the terminal, compared to just $29 spent by those who say they’re disappointed, a 52% difference directly tied to passenger satisfaction.
For smaller airports, real-time systems can seem prohibitive, but the investment increasingly pays for itself through stronger commercial performance and better operational efficiency. Technology costs have fallen sharply, making basic implementations achievable even on tight budgets. Starting with high-impact areas such as security wait times delivers clear benefits while laying the groundwork for wider deployment.
Turning browsing into commercial engagement
Dwell time, the time spent in the terminal after passing through security, has always been commercially valuable, but airports have traditionally treated it passively. Non-aeronautical revenues now account for approximately 40% of total airport income globally, with retail contributing around 30% of this revenue stream. Yet many airports leave significant value on the table through passive approaches where passengers are left to wander and browse.
Real-time data enables airports to move from passive to active dwell time management. Instead of hoping passengers stumble across opportunities, airports can actively guide them based on current conditions and individual context.
Consider a passenger who cleared security with 45 minutes until boarding. Real-time systems identify their location, understand remaining time, know previous purchases, and recognise that their gate is in a different terminal section. Rather than letting them wander, the system proactively suggests relevant retail or food options along their route, perhaps offering time-limited promotions to create urgency.
This personalisation requires integrating multiple data sources: flight information systems, positioning data, CRM systems, and point-of-sale data. When these work together in real-time, the result is contextually relevant prompts that feel helpful rather than intrusive.
The commercial impact is measurable. Airports implementing intelligent dwell time management consistently see increased conversion rates and higher transaction values, not through pushing passengers harder but by making it easier to find what they want when they want it.
The key is respecting passenger intent. Data should be used to deliver a helpful, memorable experience, rather than being used to bombard passengers with untargeted messaging. A passenger rushing to make a tight connection needs the fastest route to their gate, not retail suggestions. Real-time systems should recognise these contexts and adjust accordingly.
Dynamic wayfinding drives satisfaction and revenue
Real-time data enables intelligent wayfinding that adapts to passenger needs and current conditions. Digital systems provide turn-by-turn directions customised to mobility needs, language preferences, and time constraints. More importantly, they route passengers dynamically based on terminal conditions.
If one route is congested with passengers from a flight that’s recently landed, the system suggests alternatives. If construction blocks a corridor, directions update automatically. If a passenger with limited mobility needs to reach a distant gate, the system routes them past wheelchair assistance points.
This dynamic routing creates commercial opportunities. When airports understand passenger flows in real-time, they guide traffic towards or away from retail areas based on capacity. A quiet café benefits from increased foot traffic, whilst an overcrowded retail zone gets bypassed to improve the overall experience.
Live insights unlock revenue during delays and disruptions
Real-time data fundamentally changes how airports approach commercial operations. Traditional planning relies on historical patterns and broad assumptions. Real-time insights enable dynamic commercial optimisation responding to current conditions.
When airports have live visibility into passenger volumes, demographics, dwell time, and behaviour patterns, they make informed decisions, maximising revenue. A gate change concentrating passengers in a quiet terminal section creates opportunities to activate nearby retail through targeted promotions. A delay extending dwell time allows food outlets to adjust staffing and inventory to meet increased demand.
Consider flight delays, which can create unexpected passenger concentrations and extended dwell times. Traditional approaches let this play out. Real-time systems, however, enable a proactive response: they identify affected passengers, determine who has time for a lounge versus grab-and-go options, and send targeted messages about nearby outlets, including current wait times and relevant promotions.
The commercial uplift is substantial. Airports implementing real-time commercial optimisation consistently report double-digit increases in food and beverage revenue during irregular operations.
Industry data shows that relaxed, happy travellers spend 7% more on retail and 10% more on duty-free than stressed passengers. This uplift comes from better connecting travellers who have time to spend with outlets that have the capacity to serve them.
Real-time operations address staffing constraints and efficiency
Real-time operational data enables airports to identify and respond to issues before they escalate. Security queue management provides a clear example. Without real-time visibility, airports rely on staffing patterns based on historical averages, often meaning over-staffing during quiet periods and under-staffing when unexpected volumes arrive. Real-time queue monitoring enables dynamic staff deployment, moving resources where needed most and reducing both wait times and labour costs.
According to IATA’s Global Passenger Survey, 70% of passengers expect to reach their gate within 30 minutes when travelling with carry-on luggage, while 74% expect no more than 45 minutes with checked baggage. Real-time systems help airports to consistently meet these expectations.
For airports struggling with staff shortages, real-time operational data becomes critical. When resources are constrained, using them intelligently based on real-time need rather than historical patterns can partially offset capacity limitations, maximising the effectiveness of available resources.
Integration and strategy matter more than technology alone
None of these applications exists in isolation. The power of real-time data comes from integration: connecting passenger journey data with operational systems, commercial platforms, and communication channels.
Building this data foundation requires intentional strategy. It’s not enough to deploy more sensors or implement new systems. Airports need to think carefully about what data matters, how systems will connect, how insights will be generated, and most importantly, how those insights will inform action.
The good news is that building real-time data capability doesn’t require replacing entire technology stacks. Many airports already have valuable data sources; the opportunity lies in connecting them more effectively and extracting actionable insights.
Unlock expert insights and start building your data-driven strategy
The airports that will lead in 2026 treat real-time data not as a future aspiration but as a priority in their existing strategy. Passenger expectations continue rising, shaped by digital experiences in other industries where real-time information and personalised engagement are standard.
Real-time data reduces passenger stress, enabling more confident movement and greater commercial engagement. It enables operational efficiency, improving both experience and cost performance. It allows airports to maximise dwell time revenue by understanding and responding to passenger needs in the moment.
Ready to identify where your airport can capture the biggest opportunities? Our infographic, ‘Mapping the future of travel experiences’, highlights real-time data applications across the entire passenger journey, whilst our upcoming webinar delivers practical frameworks for building the data foundation that drives commercial growth.
CLICK HERE to download your copy and explore opportunities across every stage of the passenger journey, from pre-trip through to post-journey engagement. Discover where leading airports are focusing their efforts to meet evolving passenger needs and unlock new commercial potential.
Plus, join our upcoming webinar, ‘The Data Strategy Blueprint: Laying the Foundations for Commercial Growth’, featuring Paris Bielby, Data Director at CAVU, and Jamal Karim, Lead Data Engineer at CAVU, on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.
You’ll learn how to define what “good data” really looks like, design cross-ecosystem strategies, build strong data governance, and enable faster, evidence-based commercial decisions.
Register now, and we’ll email you a recording packed with actionable insights.
