The Transportation Security Administration said it will test the use of fingerprints in a PreCheck lane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and in Denver.
The testing will match fingerprints to those that TSA PreCheck members provided when they enrolled in the program.
The idea is to eventually allow passengers to use their fingerprints as their boarding pass and ID, according to TSA. But during the test, participation is voluntary and passengers who submit their fingerprints will also need to show their boarding pass and ID.
"In the long term, this technology has the potential to automate the travel document checking process by eliminating the need for a boarding pass and identity document, and granting or denying traveler access into the security checkpoint through an electronic gate," according to TSA.
TSA said it will analyze the data during the pilot program for potential implementation at other airports in the future.
Biometric identification technology firm Clear already uses fingerprints as identification at its members-only security lines leading up to checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson and other airports. Clear members scan their boarding pass and their fingerprints to access TSA security screening.
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