Contactless eGates at East Midlands Airport: What Changes When You Land
Since 6 October 2026, British passport holders arriving at East Midlands Airport have been able to clear the border without placing their passport on a reader. The airport is the first in the UK to switch on contactless eGates, the opening stage of a national rollout due to reach every eGate in the country by early 2027.
For anyone who flies regularly from the East Midlands, it is a small change with a practical consequence: the time between landing and reaching the kerb becomes a little more predictable. Here is what has changed, who it applies to, and what it means for your onward journey.
The short answer
What has changed: eGates at East Midlands Airport now verify arriving passengers from a live photograph rather than a passport scan.
Who can use them: British citizens for now. Other eligible nationalities are expected to follow during the rollout.
Do you still need your passport: Yes. Carry it, and expect to use it if the gate asks for further checks.
Is it faster: Home Office testing found the contactless gates up to 25% faster than using a passport at an eGate.
How contactless eGates work
At a conventional eGate, you place the photo page of your passport on a reader and then look at the camera. The contactless version removes the first step. The gate takes your photograph and checks it against immigration, travel and passport information. If the checks are complete, the gate opens.
If the system needs more, you will be asked to place your passport on the reader in the usual way. Border Force officers remain present to monitor the gates and assist. Nothing about the security of the check is relaxed; the change is in how the traveller is identified.
What comes next
East Midlands is the first of 13 UK airports in the programme. The others are Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted. According to the Home Office announcement, all eGates are due to be upgraded by early 2027, with additional nationalities added over the coming months.
For travellers in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, that means the change is live at the local airport first and will follow at Birmingham, Manchester and the London airports in due course.
What it means in practice
The border is one step, not the whole arrival
A faster gate shortens one part of the sequence. The time from aircraft door to kerb still depends on where the aircraft parks, whether you have hold luggage, and how many flights land together. Plan around the whole arrival, not just passport control.
Keep your passport to hand
Contactless does not mean passport-free. If the gate cannot complete its checks, it will revert to the reader, and you will want the document within reach rather than at the bottom of a bag.
Travelling with family
Since 8 July 2026, children aged 8 and over can use UK eGates if they are travelling with an adult and are at least 120cm tall. Families with younger children will still use a staffed desk.
Travelling with international colleagues or guests
Until the contactless service is extended to other nationalities, non-British members of a party will use the standard eGates or desks. Visitors should also check whether they need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before they fly; our guide to the UK ETA for American business travellers sets out what is required.
Why it matters to business and private travellers
Time is often the most valuable part of the journey. For an executive returning from a day of meetings in Europe, or a family coming home after a week away, the final hour of a trip sets the tone for what follows. A smoother border is welcome. A predictable onward journey matters just as much.
Arrive prepared, not rushed. Knowing that the gate may ask for your passport, that the rest of the party may take a different route, and that baggage reclaim is still the longest variable, makes the arrival calmer whichever way the border goes.
How Onyx Transport fits
A quicker border changes when you reach the arrivals hall, not whether someone should be waiting. For East Midlands Airport collections, Onyx Transport monitors inbound flights and meets passengers in arrivals with a name board. The fare is fixed in advance, an hour's waiting time is included to allow for passport control and baggage, and the chauffeur adjusts to delays at no extra charge.
If you come through the new gates quickly, the car is already there. If the gate asks for further checks, nothing about the collection changes. Journeys run door to door across the region; our Nottingham to East Midlands Airport guide covers the route in more detail, and PAs arranging travel for others can find booking guidance for assistants.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need my passport at East Midlands Airport?
Yes. The Home Office is clear that passengers must still carry their passports. If the gate needs to make further checks, it will ask you to place your passport on the reader.
Who can use the contactless eGates?
At launch, British citizens. The Home Office expects to extend the service to other nationalities, and to further airports, over the coming months.
Are the contactless eGates used when I depart?
They form part of UK border control for passengers arriving in the UK. The announcement does not change the document checks airlines carry out at check-in and boarding.
Which other airports will have contactless eGates?
The rollout covers Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted, with all eGates due to be upgraded by early 2027.
Can children use UK eGates?
Since 8 July 2026, children aged 8 and over can use UK eGates if they are travelling with an adult and are at least 120cm tall. Younger children go through a staffed desk with their family.
Will my chauffeur wait if I am held up at the border?
With Onyx Transport, yes. Inbound flights are monitored, collections from East Midlands Airport include an hour's waiting time to allow for passport control and baggage, and the chauffeur adjusts to delays at no extra charge.
If you have a flight landing at East Midlands Airport in the weeks ahead, your collection can be arranged in advance.
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