India’s Shift Toward Smarter, Tech-Enabled Travel
Indian travellers are rapidly adopting AI and biometric technologies to make their journeys more seamless, efficient, and personalized. This enthusiasm for tech innovations highlights the country’s evolving digital landscape, enabling frictionless airport experiences and smarter trip management.
Biometric Gateways: The New Norm at Airports
A significant 74% of travellers from India have embraced biometric gateways for quicker, paperless airport processes, surpassing the global average of 69%. This reflects how Indian airports and travellers alike are prioritizing hassle-free security checks and boarding procedures. The country’s widespread digital payment systems, including UPI and mobile wallets, further support a smooth transition to contactless and biometric-based travel methods.
AI’s Growing Role in Trip Planning
AI is increasingly changing how Indian travellers plan their trips. Generative AI tools for travel planning have seen a marked rise — growing from 17% usage last year to 26% in 2025, with 33% of users applying AI specifically for international leisure travel. Travelers report time savings, discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations, and crafting more creative, tailored itineraries thanks to these AI tools.
| AI Travel Benefits Reported by Indian Users (%) | |
|---|---|
| Saving time | 49% |
| Discovering hidden gems | 45% |
| Finding creative itineraries | 44% |
Real-time Support & AI Travel Assistants
Around 64% of Indians expressed interest in using AI travel assistants to provide real-time support during their trips. While the concept is gaining traction, 25% of users also report occasional frustrations with outdated info or limited personalization. Still, more travellers are willing to pay for AI assistance, with 17% ready to spend up to 5% of their trip cost on such services.
Loyalty Programs & Premium Travel Choices
In parallel, loyalty programs hold substantial sway over Indian travel habits. An impressive 92% of Indian travellers subscribe to at least one loyalty scheme, with many reporting that these benefits motivate more frequent leisure travel and selections of premium travel and accommodation options. The influence of loyalty incentives clearly complements the tech-driven enhancements in how travellers approach their journeys.
Addressing Traveller Anxiety with Technology
The study also underscores that 90% of air travellers experience anxiety, often related to security checks, transfers, or flight delays. Tech solutions like remote baggage check-in, real-time updates, and integrated apps—sometimes dubbed “super apps”—are tackling these stress points, aiming to build traveller confidence and ease journey complications.
What This Means for Taxi and Transfer Services
With biometric and AI tech transforming airport and trip experiences, the demand for equally seamless ground transport solutions is likely to grow. Passengers accustomed to smooth, transparent travel expect the same from taxi and transfer services, such as easy digital bookings, real-time driver updates, and clear fare pricing.
Platforms like LocalsRide.com meet these needs perfectly by allowing users to pick specific vehicles, review detailed info, including make, model, and driver ratings, before booking. This level of transparency and personalization is reshaping transfer services to match travellers’ heightened expectations.
Key Highlights and The Importance of Personal Experience
This growing reliance on AI and biometrics signals a new era in travel where technology builds intuitiveness and convenience into every stage of the journey. However, even with the most detailed reviews and honest feedback, nothing quite compares to the firsthand experience of riding with a trusted driver, especially in unfamiliar cities or airports.
Through LocalsRide, travellers can hire cars with drivers from verified providers offering a range of vehicle options at reasonable prices. This empowers users to make informed choices without unnecessary costs or disappointing surprises. By combining affordability, a vast selection of vehicles, and extensive add-on options, LocalsRide shines as a transparent and user-friendly solution in the taxi and transfer space. Book now with LocalsRide.com.
Conclusion: Embracing Tech for Easier Travel
The increasing embrace of AI-powered planning and biometric processes is reshaping travel for Indian passengers, creating journeys that feel more personalized, efficient, and stress-free. With loyalty programs incentivizing premium choices and technology reducing travel anxieties, the path ahead points toward smarter and more confident global travel.
In conjunction with these digital shifts, platforms like LocalsRide.com are revolutionizing airport transfers and local taxi services by offering exact vehicle selections, transparent prices, and licensed, professional drivers. Whether booking rides to the airport, city trips, or special transfers, LocalsRide supports the modern traveller’s desire for convenience, clarity, and comfort on every leg of their journey.