Future Travel Experience (FTE) was on location at SXSW 2025 in Austin, Texas, where Kristin Olsen, Director of Product Management, Travel Experience Guest Digital Technology, unveiled Alaska Airlines’ vision for the lobby of the future. Here, we share two exclusive interviews, including a deep-dive in which Olsen expands on the vision for a seamless CX powered by touchless tech. First, we feature below a video interview with Bernadette Berger, Director of Innovation, previewing her keynote address at the upcoming FTE World Innovation Summit (Pittsburgh, 13-15 May 2025), where she will unveil how Alaska Airlines is harnessing AI, Computer Vision, and Digital Twins to revolutionise the gate experience and ramp operations.
Find out more and register for the FTE World Innovation Summit >>Alaska Airlines unveils lobby of the future at SXSW
At SXSW 2025, Alaska Airlines Product Director of Travel Experience Kristin Olsen unveiled the airline’s vision for the lobby of the future, a streamlined, high-tech check-in experience designed to eliminate lines, uncertainty, and unnecessary wait times. Following her presentation, Olsen spoke with FTE, where she expanded on how Alaska Airlines is redefining the entire airport journey – starting with a predictable, five-minute lobby experience that seamlessly connects to lounges, security, and boarding.
“I think for us, we want to move forward with additional self-entry types,” Olsen explained. “We’re looking at some of the digital identity experiences we’re introducing in the lobby to also support entry into the lounge. Guests should be able to move effortlessly from check-in to relaxation without unnecessary stops.”
Olsen first took the stage at SXSW to highlight the inefficiencies that have long defined airport lobbies – unpredictable wait times, long lines, and outdated technology. She described a future where guests can move through check-in in five minutes or less, without the traditional stanchions, kiosks, and bottlenecks that have plagued travellers for decades.
“The problem with today’s airport lobbies is simple – people just start standing in lines because they don’t know what else to do,” Olsen told the audience. “Our goal is to eliminate that entirely. When you arrive at an Alaska Airlines lobby, you should know exactly where to go, what to do, and be on your way in minutes.”
A five-minute, touchless check-in experience
To achieve this, Alaska Airlines is leveraging mobile technology and digital identity verification to eliminate unnecessary steps. Olsen explained that travellers will no longer need to stop at traditional kiosks to check-in – instead, the entire process moves to their smartphones.
“You already have a kiosk in your pocket,” Olsen said. “We’re using that technology to get you through the lobby without delays.”
Guests who check in via the Alaska Airlines app can immediately proceed to the airline’s new Bag Tag Stations, where they will scan their boarding pass and receive a printed bag tag in seconds – without touching a screen.
“This is a touchless experience,” Olsen emphasized. “You scan your phone, your bag tag prints, and you’re done. No need to tap through endless screens or wait for a kiosk to become available.”
For those who already have an Alaska Airlines electronic bag tag, the process is even faster. Olsen explained that these battery-free, reusable tags automatically update via the Alaska Airlines app before each flight.
“If you have an electronic bag tag, you don’t even have to stop to print anything,” she said. “Just attach your bag, drop it at the automated bag drop, and go.”
Automated bag drops and digital identity verification
Once bags are tagged, travellers proceed to Alaska Airlines’ new automated bag drops, where a self-service system weighs and verifies checked luggage before sending it on its way.
“We’re giving guests the opportunity to self-serve,” Olsen said. “Some people prefer to interact with agents, and that option will always be available, but for those who want a completely touchless check-in experience, we’ve built it.”
Digital identity verification will also play a key role in the lobby of the future. Olsen confirmed that Alaska Airlines is working with TSA’s Touchless Identity Solution program, which allows travellers to use biometrics instead of physical identification.
“If you’ve opted into the TSA program, you can simply walk up, have your identity verified by facial recognition, and move on,” Olsen said. “This means fewer stops, fewer documents to fumble through, and a faster, more seamless journey.”
A connected journey: from curb to gate in 30 minutes
During her exclusive interview with FTE, APEX GCEO Dr. Joe Leader noted that some airlines, such as JSX, have implemented next-generation security screening that eliminates traditional bottlenecks. He asked Olsen whether Alaska Airlines envisions a future where curb-to-gate in 30 minutes becomes a standard for major carriers.
“Absolutely,” Olsen responded. “I’ve had the opportunity to visit the TSA Innovation Lab, and I know they’re actively working on improvements to make screening faster and more efficient. At Alaska, we’re ready to support those innovations and integrate them into our process as soon as they’re available.”
Olsen emphasised that the lobby transformation is just one piece of a larger puzzle. Alaska Airlines envisions a fully connected airport journey – where the five-minute lobby experience flows directly into a seamless TSA screening process, leading travellers effortlessly into the airline’s lounges and boarding areas.
A frictionless lounge experience
The transformation doesn’t stop at check-in. Alaska Airlines is also revolutionising the premium lounge experience, using the same digital identity technology to eliminate entry delays.
“The goal is to let guests move freely through our spaces, whether that’s the lounge or the lobby,” Olsen said. “The technology we’re deploying is an enabler for that – it’s about making travel smoother, more predictable, and more enjoyable.”
Lounges will now integrate biometric authentication and mobile-based access, ensuring guests can transition from security to a comfortable space in seconds.
Looking ahead: expanding to Honolulu and beyond
As Alaska Airlines deepens its partnership with Hawaiian Airlines, these lobby and lounge innovations will expand to new markets, including Honolulu.
“We’re looking at ways to adapt these advancements for different airport environments,” Olsen said. “Honolulu’s open-air design presents unique challenges, but we’re investing in technology that works seamlessly in that climate.”
With a focus on digital identity, sustainability, and guest-cantered innovation, Alaska Airlines is setting a new standard for modern air travel.
“Our vision is simple,” Olsen concluded. “No lines. No unnecessary stops. Just a seamless journey from the moment you arrive at the airport to the moment you step onto your flight.”
FTE exclusive: Alaska Airlines Director of Innovation to deliver keynote on revolutionising operations with AI, Computer Vision, and Digital Twins at FTE World Innovation Summit
Hear more from Alaska Airlines at the FTE World Innovation Summit, hosted by Pittsburgh International Airport on 13-15 May 2025. Following her groundbreaking AI reveal at last year’s FTE Aviation & Robotics Summit, where she announced Alaska Airlines as the first airline to use Generative AI for a natural language search tool, Bernadette Berger, Director of Innovation, returns to the FTE World Innovation Summit to deliver another exclusive. She will unveil how Alaska Airlines is harnessing AI, Computer Vision, and Digital Twins to revolutionise the gate experience and ramp operations.
Meanwhile, Gus Naughton, Senior Software Engineer, Emerging Technologies, Alaska Airlines, is also confirmed to speak at the FTE World Innovation Summit.
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