We live in a digital world. Truth be told, I’m never more than a few feet away from my smartphone. It’s amazing how one small device can do so much to keep us organized and connected in every aspect of our lives.
The smart phone has even taken on the role of travel agent. Exciting new domestic and global destinations are accessible through Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. With a few taps, I can log into my airline’s app and book my airfare in minutes. In Atlanta, Miami, and Seattle, I can use my smartphone to clear customs. At some airports, I can even arrange for Uber or Lyft to pick me up, all without missing a beat.
More and more members of my generation are harnessing this digital power to travel. In fact, millennials are traveling more than any other generation according to the Hudson Group’s latest 2015 travel trends infographic.
As an aviation newbie, I’m quickly learning how eager airports are to embrace mobile technology to enhance the travel experience. You can read about some of the latest airport mobile trends in ACI-NA’s latest issue of Centerlines.
Millennials like me are looking for an easy airport experience. We want airports to provide us with the ability to use digital boarding passes, access free (and fast!) wifi, and order a taxi from our phones. While most airports are working to progress with technology, figuring out how to do so and what’s next is no easy task.
That’s why ACI-NA is excited about our upcoming Business of Airports Conference this April 20 – 22 in Phoenix, AZ. The entire conference designed to help airports think about “what’s next” and how to get there. Through networking and interactive sessions, airport decision makers and innovative concessionaires and service providers will have the opportunity to discuss and discover the different ways to embrace technology in the airport environment. Mobile trends will at the core of the conference agenda as we explore non-aeronautical revenue and infrastructure considerations, including in depth discussions on ride-booking apps and more.
Mimi Ryals
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
ACI-NA
