SITA is working to deploy beacon technology at 10 airports in the next 12 months.
Its largest deployment so far is with American Airlines at Dallas Fort Worth where a pilot is about to begin using Apple iBeacons to help passengers through the airport.
The initial 180-day beta trial will involve a group of passengers before making it available to the general public in the next quarter.
Speaking at the SITA Airline IT Summit, Phil Easter, director of mobile applications at American Airlines said beacons were all about 'keeping the customer happy.'
He stressed the technology was not about tracking customers or analytics but making things easier for passengers by delivering timely and relevant information to them via mobile devices.
Easter says 65% of passengers are at the gate early because they fear missing a flight but with beacons the airline can send notifications to their mobiles telling them time to gate information or whether it's the right gate.
"DFW is crazy, with beacon technology I can tell you you're at the right gate. With beacon tech I can tell them what's around them.
"Travel with beacons airlines, easier, less hassle, less stress and allow customers to explore and find stuff."
Easter also says the technology has huge opportunities for day-to-day operations such as baggage tracking.
He adds that with 85% of the carrier's customers being iOS users, it makes sense for it to embrace the technology.
SITA is already working with airlines and iBeacon technology at a number of airports across the globe including Dallas Forth Worth, San Francisco International, London Heathrow and Shanghai Hongqiao International.
The airline technology organisation has also set up a Common-use Beacon Registry enabling airlines and airports to manage and share data. American Airlines is the first carrier to use the registry
Easter compares beacon technology to the Wild West and says a common registry makes sense.
"With the registry we can ensure there is a common experience for every customer at every terminal."
The concept of the registry was first unveiled as part of SITA Lab's real world test of the iBeacon technology released earlier this year.
SITA Lab lead engineer Kevin O'Sullivan says:
"Everyone has their eye on beacons but many have not really thought enough about it to realise we need a registry."
Third party developers will also be able to get involved in using the beacons for travel-related apps.
NB: Transport and accommodation for the author's attendance at the event was supported by SITA.