MADRID — Travel technology provider Amadeus announced on Tuesday it has reached a definitive agreement to purchase IDEMIA Public Security for 1.2 billion euros. The deal marks a significant expansion for the Spanish firm into the biometric identification market. Amadeus chief executive Luis Maroto confirmed the acquisition terms in a statement released to investors. The transaction involves the transfer of assets currently backed by the private equity firm Advent International. This purchase price represents a major capital commitment for the company as it seeks to integrate new security hardware into its existing software network.
Airports worldwide currently utilize a variety of biometric systems to process passengers across 193 countries. The acquisition of IDEMIA Public Security allows Amadeus to incorporate specific facial scanning tools into the digital systems used by airlines. Travelers frequently face delays at international borders as passenger volumes have rebounded to 100 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The company intends to deploy these security tools to reduce the time passengers spend waiting in queues at departure terminals. IDEMIA currently supplies security software to governments and transportation networks that process millions of individuals each day.
Travel companies have increased spending on contactless processing technology since 2021 as passenger volumes recovered. Passengers now encounter automated gates and facial scanners at 50 percent of major international departure terminals. Airports require faster identity verification to move crowds through security lines in under 3 minutes per passenger. Biometric technology allows travelers to scan faces and passports without handing physical documents to agents. Airlines aim to reduce boarding gate queues by 20 percent across every major hub using these integrated systems.
IDEMIA specializes in security software that matches facial images against secure databases in less than 2 seconds. Integrating these tools allows Amadeus to offer bundled software packages to its airline and airport clients. Security checkpoints currently rely on fragmented software from 5 or more different vendors. Bringing these pieces together simplifies airport operations by reducing the number of interfaces staff must monitor. The company expects this unified approach to lower the total cost of ownership for airport operators.
The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals from authorities in multiple jurisdictions. Amadeus expects the review process to conclude by the end of 2025. The company did not disclose the specific legal fees associated with this 1.2 billion euro purchase. No date has been set for the final integration of the two entities. The firm will provide further updates on the acquisition timeline in its next quarterly report.
