This year, more than 5.2 billion people are expected to fly. As numbers climb, so do the familiar complaints: confusing signage, long security lines, difficulty finding food or restrooms, random  gate changes without clear guidance, and too few staff members  to help when something goes wrong. 

These customer pain points aren’t minor inconveniences. People  who feel rushed, overwhelmed, or lost in the vast spaces of  unfamiliar terminals are less likely to spend money. 

Studies have shown that for every 10 minutes a person spends waiting in line or wandering around in search of amenities,  retail spending is reduced by up to 30%. Across millions of  travellers, that lost revenue adds up fast. Indeed, according to  the study, a key finding is the concept of an emotional experience  gap between what the passenger expects and what the  airport delvers. 

This, it is claimed, represented a staggering $695 million in at-risk revenue across five major airports involved in the project. 

Traditional signage and static infrastructure are no longer enough to support today’s traveller expectations. What’s needed is a more adaptive approach. 

A new generation of indoor technologies, like real-time “blue dot” guidance and dynamic signage that personalises traveller needs, is helping airports transform how passengers move, orient themselves, and engage with the terminal environment. 

These tools are solving the problems that signage alone can’t fix, including unpredictability and information gaps. Some of the  world’s busiest airports are leading the way, showing that better navigation and communication not only improve passenger satisfaction, but they also support more efficient operations and measurable financial return. 

In terminals where signs compete for attention and wayfinding feels inconsistent, people are more likely to spend time looking for staff  to help them, or hover near gates out of uncertainty. As a result,  they are less likely to explore restaurants, browse shops, or take advantage of airport services. 

But tools that streamline movement and reduce confusion, including interactive maps, digital directional cues, and location-specific alerts, help passengers move through the terminal with more confidence. In turn, this lowers stress and increases dwell time in high-value areas like restaurants, gift shops, and lounges. 

One of the most high-traffic airports in the world, London Heathrow in the UK, has made investments in digital navigation tools that guide passengers from check-in to gate. Mobile apps provide real-time walking directions throughout the terminals, offering travellers a guided experience through what, for many, is unfamiliar territory.

In one terminal, the airport ran a study to understand where travellers hesitated or got lost. The research revealed specific visual pain points, such as sign placement and information overload. 

Based on this data, Heathrow made targeted changes as to how  and where guidance now appears, and the combination of live navigation and design refinement has made a measurable difference. 

Passengers now report greater ease in finding gates and favourite amenities. The airport has gained new insight into how people use  its spaces, and valuable data now helps informs retail layout and service placement. 

Another example of technology being used to solve communication issues is found at international gateways where passengers speak  a different language to the one used at the airport. 

Indeed, language barriers can be a significant point of confusion for travellers, especially when they arrive in large groups and need directions quickly. This problem has been significantly reduced with the installation of dynamic signage systems that can adapt based on flight origin data. 

To help these passengers navigate the airport with confidence, airports can install digital wayfinding displays that automatically adjust to convey directions in the languages of incoming passengers. 

A traveller arriving from Frankfurt, for example, might see directions displayed in German, while those from São Paulo see the same signs in Portuguese with the next flight's arrival. 

Because the system can update in real time, it doesn't require manual intervention from busy staff. The result is smoother flow throughout these complex spaces and greater passenger comfort, especially for those making tight connections. 

Airport employees can focus on helping those most in need when they aren't spending time repeating routine instructions. 

Whether the problem is signage that’s too generic, a terminal under construction, or travellers new to an airport’s layout, the cost of confusion adds up. Missed retail sales, delays at security checkpoints, and added pressure on airport personnel cost airports, travellers, and vendors time and money. New indoor wayfinding tools are helping airports adapt in real time. When gate changes happen, passengers receive alerts with updated directions. When congestion builds near certain areas, passengers can be rerouted. Information is no longer static or dependent on staff alone, but moves with the passenger, providing them with practical support every step of the way. In the background, airports collect data on which amenities get the most traffic, which corridors are causing stalls in foot traffic, and how long people linger in different areas. That feedback loop becomes a tool for both improving the day-to-day experience and long-term business decisions. The need for adaptable infrastructure and passenger-centric technologies will only grow in the future as passenger volumes increase their upward trajectory.  Many airports are, of course, aware of this and already committed to improving the customer experience in their facilities by investing in passenger-centric technologies now. This sets the course for long-term resiliency while helping them be more equipped to manage growth and keep passengers happy. The path to a better passenger experience starts with something as simple as helping people find their way.

Whether the problem is signage that’s too generic, a terminal under construction, or travellers new to an airport’s layout, the cost of confusion adds up. Missed retail sales, delays at security checkpoints, and added pressure on airport personnel cost airports, travellers, and vendors time and money. 

New indoor wayfinding tools are helping airports adapt in real time. When gate changes happen, passengers receive alerts with updated directions. When congestion builds near certain areas, passengers can be rerouted. 

Information is no longer static or dependent on staff alone, but moves with the passenger, providing them with practical support every step of the way. 

In the background, airports collect data on which amenities get the most traffic, which corridors are causing stalls in foot traffic, and how long people linger in different areas. That feedback loop becomes a tool for both improving the day-to-day experience and long-term business decisions. 

The need for adaptable infrastructure and passenger-centric technologies will only grow in the future as passenger volumes increase their upward trajectory.  

Many airports are, of course, aware of this and already committed to improving the customer experience in their facilities by investing in passenger-centric technologies now. 

This sets the course for long-term resiliency while helping them be more equipped to manage growth and keep passengers happy. The path to a better passenger experience starts with something as simple as helping people find their way.