Mexico Launches Biometric Kiosks at 3 Airports

Vacation on tropical lake Nichupte lagoon, CancunMexico is a land noted for its rich traditions and cultural history, but next time you fly into Cancun or Los Cabos, you’ll be greeted by the latest in computer technology.  The country’s Ministry of Communications and Transportation recently announced that three international airports – Mexico City, Los Cabos and Cancun – have been outfitted with digital biometric kiosks to help expedite the entrance of both nationals and international tourists into the country.

Self-serve kiosks are faster

According to Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, head of the Ministry, these state-of-the-art kiosks are significantly faster and more comfortable than previous devices. Moreover, they will enable quick automated entry of domestic and foreign passengers who do not need a visa to enter Mexico. Rather than waiting in long immigration lines, nationals and visitors can breeze through the automated system in just under three minutes.

The self-serve automated entry kiosks will not only improve visitor experience but help authorities process record numbers of passengers in less time. The 100 kiosks currently deployed will likely process more than 8 million arrivals in the coming year alone. The international terminals in Mexico City, Cancun and Cabo handle nearly 170,000 travelers a day – representing nearly 75 percent of the country’s total tourism that arrives by air. One immigration counter oversees up to 5 biometric kiosks, which will reduce the time spent waiting in line by a whopping 40 percent.

How biometric kiosks work

The new kiosks have a touchscreen multi-lingual interface and have the ability to identify passengers through both biometrics and documents.  Passengers enter their travel information in the system and have their fingerprints scanned. The kiosk captures and uses this biometric data (fingerprints, photo and passport scan) to accurately and securely identify individuals as they enter the country.

With hope, this innovative system will help promote a more convenient and comfortable arrival experience in Mexico, which remains one of the most visited vacation destinations around the world.

Take advantage of direct flights to Cancun

This is great news for anyone who is planning a Mexico getaway to the sun-drenched beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula. If you are looking for warm turquoise waters, some of the world’s prettiest coastline and an endless array of recreational activities, then Cancun is the destination of choice. Located on the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is a terrific base for explorations throughout the Mayan Riviera, where ancient ruins, pristine islands and friendly locals await.

Getting there has never been easier. A number of airlines offer non-stop flights to Cancun International, and with the new self-serve kiosks, you’ll have your toes in the soft white sands in no time.

Check out these non-stop routes:

  • Denver to Cancun (4 hours) — Frontier and United
  • Chicago to Cancun (3 hours 45 minutes) – American and United
  • NYC to Cancun (4 hours) – AeroMexico, JetBlue and American
  • Atlanta to Cancun (2 hours 45 minutes) – Southwest, Delta and AreoMexico
  • San Francisco to Cancun (5 hours 20 minutes) – Virgin America and United
  • Charlotte to Cancun (3 hours) – US Airways

Additional Resources on Mexico’s automated airport kiosks:

  1. Travel Agent Central, Three Mexico Airports Debut New Digital Biometric Kiosks https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/three-mexico-airports-debut-new-digital-biometric-kiosks
  2. Hopper, American Cities with Direct Flights to Cancun http://www.hopper.com/articles/814/american-cities-with-direct-flights-to-cancun
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