Key takeaways 

• CUSS 2 builds on what's already working. The goal remains the same: helping multiple airlines share self-service resources efficiently. What's changing is the technology, with a more flexible, secure, and web-native foundation for the future. 
• The move to CUSS 2 is designed to be smooth and manageable. Existing airline applications won't suddenly stop working. Instead, innovation and future enhancements will be focused on CUSS 2, giving the industry time to plan and adapt. 
• Now is the right time to start the conversation. With the IATA CUSS Task Force agreeing that the cutover to CUSS 2 starts at the end of 2026, airports, airlines, and vendors can begin aligning plans, priorities, and dependencies with confidence. 
• Success starts with early alignment. Bringing together airport teams, airlines, suppliers, and internal stakeholders early helps reduce uncertainty, coordinate testing and certification, and create a more predictable path to CUSS 2. 

What’s new about CUSS 2?

CUSS 2 uses newer technologies, improves security, supports more types of devices, and makes it easier to add new features in the future. The new platform aims to reduce ambiguity, avoid unnecessary disruption, and make the transition workable in real airport operations.

Why do we need CUSS 2, and why now?

The timing makes sense. Common Use isn’t just for check-in anymore. It’s bag drop, self-service, new devices and new touchpoints – all of which need a foundation that can evolve faster, integrate more easily, and stay secure as requirements change. IATA aims to make that evolution possible in a more flexible, web-native way, while strengthening the standards that keep deployments consistent across different environments.

When is it happening? 

There isn’t a single “switch-over day.” In fact, IATA is explicit that the deprecation of CUSS 1 does not mean airline applications immediately stop functioning. It only means that no further updates or new functionality will be provided under CUSS 1. Enhancements will only be applied to CUSS 2.

Where do I start?

The most useful place to start is early alignment. 

Talk to your internal stakeholders early. Talk to your airlines, airport teams and suppliers early. Not to rush a migration, but to reduce uncertainty – so everyone is working from the same assumptions about what’s changing, what the critical dependencies are, and what “readiness” means in your environment. It also gives you time to coordinate certification and testing sensibly.

How can SITA help?

We at SITA can help you make the transition and meet the standards. We have the industry’s largest Common Use footprint across more than 400 airports, so we are the industry partner helping customers align, plan, and move at the right pace. We offer airports and airlines a route forward that avoids duplication, keeps commitments stable, and makes the change feel predictable in live operations.

Why? So that you can turn CUSS 2 into something practical and deliverable at scale, without unnecessary disruption.  Clear communication at every step, from early decisions through to delivery. 

Yes, CUSS 2 is a major shift. But it doesn’t need to feel like a cliff edge. With IATA’s phased roadmap – and the right planning and partner – it becomes a steady, workable move forward, ready for the next era of passenger processing.

Explore SITA CUSS 2