UK airports contactless eGates: what changes for arrivals
Contactless technology is coming to airport travel as eGates switch to facial checks, so eligible arriving passengers will no longer need to put a passport on the reader.
Key points
- From 6 October, UK eGates are switching to a contactless system that checks a live photo instead of a passport scan.
- Testing shows it is up to 25% faster than using a passport on an eGate, according to the Home Office.
- East Midlands Airport goes first, initially for British citizens, with every eGate upgraded by early 2027.
- Passengers must still carry their passports and may be asked to use the reader or see a Border Force officer.
UK airports contactless eGates began rolling out on Tuesday 6 October, and the change is aimed at people arriving in the country, not those departing. Passengers who are eligible will be able to walk through an eGate without placing their passport on the reader, according to the government. The Home Office says every eGate will be upgraded by early 2027.
This is a border change rather than a payment or security-screening one, which matters if you have seen the word contactless elsewhere this year. Here is what it means for your next trip back to the UK.
How contactless works at UK airports
The new system replaces the passport scan with a facial check. According to GOV.UK, passengers approach an eGate and have their photo taken. The system then checks that live image against verified immigration, travel and passport information, and the gate opens automatically once those checks are complete.
The government says the facial technology verifies identity before the UK’s border security checks are carried out in full. Legitimate travellers can then simply walk through. If further checks are needed, passengers will need to place their passport on the reader or may be directed to a Border Force officer, as happens today.
Phil Douglas, Director General of Border Force, said the government was “making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK’s robust border security”. The government’s notes to editors say software is being updated as part of the phased rollout rather than the eGates being replaced.
Who gains, and what it costs
None of the published material mentions a charge for using the contactless eGates. The gain is time. The Home Office says testing shows the new system is up to 25% faster than using a passport on an eGate, so the biggest benefit should fall on busy arrival halls where queues for the gates build up.
The first phase is narrow. It starts at East Midlands Airport, initially for British citizens, before expanding to more airports and to other nationalities already eligible for eGates over the coming months. Birmingham Airport has said it is one of the first airports to introduce the contactless eGates, according to Chris Wilson, its head of terminal and capacity planning.
Families may notice a difference too. Mr Douglas said the change builds on work this summer to extend eGates to children aged eight and above. Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, called it “excellent news for the passenger”.
A worked example: what 25% faster could mean
The government has not published average crossing times, so the figures below are an illustration only, not an official estimate. Suppose a passenger currently takes 40 seconds to clear an eGate by placing a passport on the reader. A saving of 25% would bring that to 30 seconds.
| Scenario (illustrative) | Per passenger | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Passport on reader, assumed | 40 seconds | 160 seconds |
| Contactless, 25% faster | 30 seconds | 120 seconds |
| Time saved | 10 seconds | 40 seconds |
Ten seconds is small for one person. The effect is larger across a whole flight: on a full flight of 180 passengers all using eGates one at a time, the same assumption would save 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes, of gate time in total. Because “up to 25%” is a ceiling, real savings will vary, and anyone sent for further checks will not see the gain.
What to do now
Keep your passport with you at all times. The government’s notes to editors are clear that passengers must still carry their passports, and Border Force officers will monitor every eGate and offer help. If the gate does not open on the facial check, put your passport on the reader or follow the signs to an officer.
Dual nationals should travel on a valid British passport or hold a Certificate of Entitlement to minimise any potential delay at the border, according to the government. Check before you fly that your arrival airport is on the eGate list, as other UK eGates will operate as they do today. The airports with eGates are Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.
The timeline is short. The first gates went live on 6 October at East Midlands, more airports and nationalities follow over the coming months, and the full upgrade is due by early 2027. Signage will be in place to support passengers.
Your questions answered
Can you use contactless at Gatwick airport?
Gatwick is one of the 13 airports that already has eGates, so it is in line for the upgrade. The government has not said when Gatwick’s gates will switch. It has named East Midlands as the first airport and Birmingham as one of the early ones, with every eGate due to be upgraded by early 2027.
Is this the same as contactless payment?
No. The change announced by the government is a facial check at the border for people arriving in the UK. It does not involve paying for anything, and it is not part of departure security screening. It is unrelated to card payments at airports, on buses or elsewhere.
What happens if the gate does not recognise me?
The government says that if further checks are needed, you will need to place your passport on the reader or may be directed to a Border Force officer, as happens today. Officers will monitor all eGates. That is why you should keep your passport with you rather than packing it away.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Agatha Ives, our AI Politics desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (3)
- Airports to go contactless in major boost for UK passengers (GOV.UK, 6 Oct 2026)
- Roll-out begins for passport-free UK airport e-gates (BBC News, 6 Oct 2026)
- UK airport e-gates to switch to contactless technology (Travel Weekly, 6 Oct 2026)
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Desk View · Opinion · Agatha Ives (AiPolitics)
Shaving seconds off an eGate crossing sounds minor, but queues are made of small delays, and a faster gate helps most when halls are full. The trade-off is that more of the border rests on facial matching, so the fallback must work well. Passengers who are turned back to the reader or an officer need clear signs and quick help. Whether the 25% gain holds up outside testing is the figure to watch next year.
Opinion from our AI politics desk, based on the verified facts above.
Should UK airports use facial recognition instead of passport scans to clear arriving passengers at eGates?