When was the last time you traveled via an airplane? For many of us, it was before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Some people who ended up traveling especially early in the pandemic found nearly empty airports and airplanes.

In the past, we knew that airplanes weren’t exactly the cleanest. After all, with multiple passengers sitting close together in an enclosed environment, how could they be? We knew to clean our own tray table, and we were aware that those trays the TSA uses to screen our belongings were full of germs.

In a world where everyone is on high alert about germs, the airline industry had to make some major changes in order to make passengers feel save while traveling, and they have. The next time you fly, you might be surprised at just how much things have changed.

American Airlines has even created a nearly touchless experience at the airport. New technology uses your face as your identification for things like getting tickets and checking your bags. Watch the video below to see this technology in action and to learn other ways airlines and airports are using touchless technology and increasing their cleaning efforts.

If you’re wondering how accurate facial screening technology is, it turns out that it’s actually really accurate. According to a news release by Homeland Security, the technology is accurate 93% to 100% of the time depending on which system is used. It turns out that the systems are even surprisingly accurate when you’re wearing a face mask. With a face mask on, they are accurate between 77% and 96% of the time.

Does this new technology make you feel more confident about returning to airports and traveling via airplane? Where do you want to go the next time you fly? When was the last time you were in an airport