Airport Experience® News - Retail & Services Issue 2025

DATA CHECK

INCORPORATING TECHNOLOGIES ACRP Guidance Offers Tech Approaches For Airport Concessions

BY CAROL WARD

primer designed to provide airports with an overview of incorporating technology into

THE PASSENGER CONCESSION JOURNEY

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Baggage Claim

Ground Transportation

Pre Arrival

Parking/ Curbside

Check-In/ Bag Drop

Security Concourse Arrival

airport in-terminal concessions programs has been released by the National Academy of Sciences . The Academy’s The Airport Cooperative Research Program recently published the document titled Incorporating Technologies into Airport In-Terminal Concessions Programs: A Primer. The document outlined broad-based changes that are occurring (or are expected to occur) that could impact airport concessions. The changes range from heightened expectations for sustainable approaches and needs for shifts due to the aging traveler demographics, to growing demand for delightful guest experiences and the need for further innovation in revenue generation efforts. Artificial intelligence (AI) was also examined, with the study authors noting that the growth and expansion of AI “will have a massive effect on the retail and F&B markets through 2024 and beyond.” Some of the ways AI is transforming airport concessions include demand forecasting and inventory optimization, supply chain efficiency, personalized marketing, customer support, quality control, menu optimization, AI and machine learning, robotics, delivery services, online marketplaces and virtual queuing apps. E-commerce and omnichannel platforms are in place in most airports to some degree, and the study’s authors suggest more ubiquitous usage is likely in the near-term future.

Online F&B/Retail Pre-Ordering Online F&B/Retail Ordering & Delivery

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Parking Reservations

Ticketless Parking Entry/Exit Push Notifications on Amenities & Services Dynamic Wayfinding/Signage Touchless Passenger Processing

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Dynamic Advertising

Passenger Flow Tracking & Optimization Wireless & Cellular Data Coverage

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Mobile Virtual Assistant

Self-Service Kiosks

Interactive Entertainment

Touchless In-Store Transactions

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Kitchen Automation

Automated Retail

Digital Marketplace Virtual Queuing Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality

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Virtual Food Hall/ Ghost Kitchen

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Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Incorporating Technologies into Airport In-Terminal Concessions Programs: A Primer.

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AX NEWS SEPTEMBER 2025