Airport Security is Undergoing a Massive Tech-Driven Transformation for a ‘Frictionless’ Travel Experience

Airport Show-2026 to Showcase Best-in-Class Security Systems

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, February 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Airport Security is undergoing a massive tech-driven transformation for a ‘frictionless’ travel experience
Airport Show-2026 to showcase best-in-class security systems
Airports are adopting 3D Computed Tomography scanners
Airport Security market size to reach US$38 billion by 2035

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 25, 2026: A technology-driven transformation is underway to enhance airport security while delivering a smoother and more positive travel experience.

A quarter century after passenger and baggage screening became mandatory at airports, airport security has shifted its focus away from checked bag screening, metal detectors, and manual checks to X-ray machines, full-body metal detectors, and explosive trace detectors.

The airport security screening process has been rated as one of the most stressful points of the passenger journey, as travellers have to remove jewellery, belts, and shoes, take liquids and electronics out of bags, and separate belongings into trays.

Restriction on liquids, aerosols, and gels in carry-on baggage will become history in the coming time as airports are acquiring next-gen Computed Tomography (CT) scanners, which provide 3D, rotatable, Hi-Res images of carry-on baggage for detecting explosives and threats more accurately while allowing passengers to keep liquids and laptops inside bags.

An impressive array of new security systems, best-in-class products will be featured at the 25th edition of the Airport Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 12 to 14. The exhibition and knowledge-sharing platform will have co-located conferences- Global Airport Leaders’ Forum, Airport Security Middle East, ATC Forum, and Women in Aviation (WIA) Middle East Conference.

More than 150+ exhibitors from over 30 countries are expected to participate, with 7,000+ visitors from over 30 countries attending during the three days, in addition to 120 hosted buyers, being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

The Airport Show presents a valuable platform for global and regional exhibitors to engage directly with key decision-makers across the aviation sector in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Participants can explore high-level business opportunities with airport CEOs and senior officials from across the region, where billions of dollars are being invested in upgrading existing facilities and developing new airports to reinforce their status as leading global aviation hubs.

The B2B platform will also offer the opportunity to secure exclusive meetings with decision-makers through the Hosted Buyers Program designed to enable exhibitors to meet key officials representing major world airports and explore potential deals and their future requirements for technologies and products.
Brigadier Expert Engineer Marwan Singel, Assistant Director General of the General Department of Airport Security, said, "Dubai adopts a proactive approach to enable safe and seamless travel by integrating advanced technologies, which also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the security system. In the UAE, security authorities continue to adopt new airport screening technologies to detect and overcome threats. We have been pioneers in achieving a balance between high-level threat detection and improving the security standards of the passenger experience."

May Ismail, Event Manager at RX Middle East, organizers of Airport Show in Dubai, one of the world’s largest B2B platforms for the airport industry stakeholders, remarked: “The airport security is vastly benefiting from the emergence of new security technologies and advanced surveillance systems, making the entire security infrastructure, screening, and checks of passengers and cargo, secure and efficient,” remarked

New legislative updates are shaping the rollout of this technology in several countries. The European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), and the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are among organizations that have collaborated with airports to test CT scanners as an alternative to traditional X-ray machines. Several countries have been embracing new technologies to enhance and enlarge their airport security infrastructure. The EU has announced a phased mandate requiring the implementation of CT scanners at airports by 2026.

In the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA), airport security officials are also lapping up the CT scanners to take their security levels up. Ensuring security is a challenging task for Dubai given the rising volume of visitors the global city receives annually – in 2025 alone it welcomed 17.55 million visitors driven by business events, leisure travel and strong global connectivity. In the recent past, the Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) inked a deal to install next-gen CT security scanners at DXB. The multi-year deal will see Smiths Detection, an Airport Show exhibitor since several years, deploy its scanners across its three terminals. The new systems are equipped with automated tray return, smart lane management, and object recognition software.

Airports are also using AI to forecast security demand, and are creating virtual replicas of their operations to simulate security scenarios. The Airport Security market is projected to grow to over US$38 billion by 2035, according to a market study. The UAE airport security market is poised for robust growth, projected to reach US$3.2 billion by 2030, driven by surging passenger traffic, technological innovations, and substantial investments in infrastructure.

Airports are also investing in modular security architectures that allow for incremental upgrades, rather than massive, one-time overhauls. The ACI World noted: “With continuously evolving threats and passengers becoming increasingly dissatisfied with queues and security procedures, airport security needs to adapt if it is to meet the growth targets and changing customer expectations.”

Ends

About RX:
RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people.
RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com

About RELX
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries.
It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.
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