Smart airports as responsive systems: a systematic literature review and network analysis

Purpose Research on smart airports is expanding but remains fragmented across architecture, operations, passenger experience, technology and sustainability. This paper synthesises that evidence and reframes smart airports as socio-technical systems in which “smartness” emerges through cross-domain interaction rather than standalone technologies. Design/methodology/approach A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-aligned systematic literature review is integrated with network analysis of 511 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2024. The review synthesises 433 unique sub-indicators spanning infrastructure and spatial design, operational efficiency, passenger experience, enabling technologies and sustainability. Net-work analysis maps relationships among sub-indicators to identify structural dependencies and cross-domain clustering. Findings Operational efficiency constitutes the backbone of smart airport systems, while architectural adaptability is associated with the translation of operational intelligence into physical action Passenger experience is shaped primarily by seamless flow, information continuity and perceived control rather than discrete amenities. Technology operates as a transversal enabler connecting domains, whereas sustainability is unevenly embedded and more often treated as an outcome of efficiency-led initiatives than as an integrated design logic. The most consequential opportunities and tensions concentrate at the interfaces between architecture, operations and passenger experience. Research limitations/implications The review is restricted to English-language publications and a deliberately narrow 2019–2024 window, which may under-represent earlier foundational work and non-English regional evidence. The network approach uses recorded linkage as a proxy for relationship strength, and the reported centrality measures do not weight relationships by valence. Practical implications The results support airport planners and operators in moving beyond gadget-centric initiatives by highlighting where integration typically fails: aligning architectural flexibility, cross-functional coordination and governance with operational and passenger-facing digital systems. The study provides a reference point for assessing organisational and infrastructural readiness for digital transition. Originality/value By combining a PRISMA-guided review with sub-indicator network analysis, this paper provides an evidence-based map of interdependencies to inform integrated planning and governance of adaptive, passenger-centred airport environments.