Digi Yatra international passenger trials to go live at seven airports from Nov 1

Digi Yatra’s international passenger trials will go live at seven Indian airports from November 1, allowing eligible Indian nationals holding e-passports to use the platform on overseas flights operated by Air India and IndiGo.

According to Digi Yatra Foundation, the programme covers Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Amritsar airports. The trial period runs from November to December 2026, with the beta programme currently underway.

Accordingly, passenger feedback will inform plans for a wider rollout in 2027. The foundation said that eligible passengers will be able to use Digi Yatra at enabled touch points, including terminal entry, the Security Hold Area (SHA) and boarding gates, subject to infrastructure availability.

Notably, these trials will cover all international destinations served by Air India and select destinations operated by IndiGo. To participate, the foundation cited that the passengers will need to create an e-passport-based digital credentials through the Digi Yatra application.

The process involves scanning the passport’s ‘Machine Readable Zone’, reading its embedded chip using a compatible smartphone’s ‘Near Field Communication’ capability, capturing a selfie and verifying the details. Once created, the credentials will be stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet on their device for use at enabled airport touchpoints.

However, it said that passengers must continue to carry their travel documents and complete mandatory airline document checks, immigration and other travel formalities. “With the start of international passenger trials, we are taking an important step towards extending this experience to eligible Indian nationals travelling internationally,” said Suresh Khadakbhavi, Chief Executive Officer, Digi Yatra Foundation.

Besides, Khadakbhavi said interoperability with global frameworks such as IATA’s ‘One ID’ and ICAO’s ‘Public Key Directory’ would be an important part of the initiative, while retaining passenger consent, privacy and security.

Separately, Digi Yatra has introduced a redesigned mobile application with changes to navigation, boarding pass display and the credential wallet. The update includes airline-mapped colours for boarding passes, clearer indicators for guardian and minor credentials, and a revised consent screen explaining what information is shared, with whom and for what purpose.

At present, Digi Yatra has more than 26.5 million users and has facilitated over 110 million journeys.