Almost 70% of travelers rely on airport signage — Eye tracking boosts wayfinding

Have you ever rushed through an airport struggling to find your gate because the airport wayfinding is unclear or confusing? You’re not alone! For many travelers, navigating airports can be one of the most stressful parts of the journey. That’s why clear, effective signage is crucial in helping travelers find their way through the complex layouts of busy terminals.

A recent survey revealed that nearly 70% of passengers rely on airport signage to guide them. This survey, conducted among US adults aged 18-65 who traveled 2 to 4 times in the past year, shows signage is key to the travel experience. The top five airports visited by respondents were:

1. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), NY
2. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), TX
3. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), CA
4. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), NJ
5. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), IL

The survey, which includes other popular airports like BOS (Boston, MA), DEN (Denver, CO), TPA (Tampa, FL), and ATL (Atlanta, GA), revealed interesting insights on airport experiences and navigation challenges. Many of these could be addressed using eye tracking to understand passenger behavior and enhance airport wayfinding systems.

Eye tracking: A solution to improve airport navigation

Passengers rely heavily on signage — 67% use it for navigating airports, while only 46% rely on memory, and fewer still ask employees for help. Airports can make significant improvements by using eye tracking technology to analyze how travelers interact with signs.

The survey also revealed that passengers who use signage find airport wayfinding easier. Optimizing airport wayfinding signage is crucial to improving the overall airport experience. 

For example, Heathrow Airport used Tobii’s eye tracking tools to study passenger attention, identifying issues such as: 

• Signs that were ignored or misinterpreted 

• Confusing points that slowed travelers down 

• Areas where too much signage overwhelmed passengers and increased stress 

These insights helped Heathrow optimize its signage for a smoother, less frustrating experience. 

Challenges navigating airports: Bottlenecks and issues finding gates 

Survey participants identified three main hindrances when navigating airports: 

1. Congestion and bottlenecks 

2. Difficulty finding gates 

3. Confusing signage 

These issues are especially problematic during connecting flights, where time is of the essence. Eye tracking offers a real-time view of passenger behavior, providing a deeper understanding of what causes hesitation and confusion and where bottlenecks form. 

For example, to truly understand how passengers navigate the airport, Heathrow partnered with Tobii Insight Services, combining qualitative in-depth interviews with our wearable eye tracker, Tobii Pro Glasses 3. By tracking passengers’ gaze while they searched for gates, elevators, or the correct lane at passport control, Heathrow was able to optimize signage and design a more intuitive wayfinding system. 

Why effective airport wayfinding matters 

Effective wayfinding is about more than just helping passengers get from A to B. It shapes the entire airport experience and even influences consumer travel decisions.  

Respondents identified several U.S. airports as particularly challenging to navigate, including LAX (Los Angeles, CA), ORD (Chicago, IL), JFK (New York, NY), DEN (Denver, CO), ATL (Atlanta, GA), and LGA (Queens, NY). These large airports often struggle with complex layouts, overcrowded terminals, and unclear signage, which can frustrate travelers. 

By leveraging advanced technology like eye tracking, these and other airports worldwide can fine-tune their wayfinding systems to make them more effective and ease the passenger experience.