Customer Success Story
Smart airport uses advanced technologies to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency
The Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport served more than 27 million passengers in 2024, and more than 2,600,000 commercial passengers flew through the airport in June 2024, which was an all-time monthly passenger record.
To deliver a better airport Wi-Fi experience, BWI Marshall partnered with Slice Wireless to deliver its patented managed service solution WiSNET™. WiSNET leverages Mist™, Juniper’s cloud-native, AI-native networking platform, to support public Wi-Fi, businesses, and airport operations.
Overview
| Company | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport |
| Industry | Logistics and Transportation |
| Products used | AP43, AP24, AP12, BT11, EX2300, Marvis AI Assistant , Juniper Wi-Fi Assurance, Juniper Wired Assurance, Premium Analytics, Juniper User Engagement, Asset Visibility |
| Region | Americas |
4.11 out of 5 rating
Passenger experience
Since Slice Wireless took over the BWI Wi-Fi in 2020, its Airport Service Quality (ASQ) score improved to 4.11 out of 5 in 2024, its highest rating.
55
Airport concessions
Stores, restaurants, car rental agencies, and other airline operations businesses connected for private ISP services on WiSNET
$1 million
Generate revenue
Before Slice Wireless, BWI did not receive any revenue from the public Wi-Fi or concession ISP service. After the takeover in 2020, Slice Wireless generated more than $1M new revenue in the first year of operation from concession services and portal advertising, which it shares with the airport.
BWI Marshall required exceptional Wi-Fi that would elevate the passenger experience and improve operational efficiency. Building a smart airport meant moving from inadequate to fast, free public Wi-Fi in all five concourses—capable of meeting the demands of a high-density, high-mobility environment.
BWI management also wanted to offset rental income and increase revenue by supporting the Wi-Fi and data needs of the airlines, retail shops, restaurants, car rental agencies, and other businesses operating at the airport.
“BWI Marshall selected Slice Wireless because of our patented WiSNET managed service and its integration with the Mist platform, which allows us to offer more advanced services than our competitors, including increased customer traffic and interaction for concession businesses and indoor location services for passenger wayfinding and supplier needs,” said Ed Wright, CTO of Slice Wireless. “BWI is receiving more revenue from their wireless system than ever before.”
The Mist platform is the foundation of the smart airport
BWI Marshall offers scheduled passenger service from 14 airlines and has more than 80 concessions. The Slice WiSNET wireless service spans all five concourses, as well as parking, shuttle services, and rental car lots.
The Mist platform leverages the Marvis® AI engine to assure every wireless, wired, and virtual Bluetooth® Low Energy (vBLE) connection is reliable, measurable, and secure while streamlining network operations.
Juniper access points (APs) deliver Wi-Fi 6/6E and Juniper switches are used for the high performance access and core networks. Juniper APs support vBLE for location services, such as asset tracking, wayfinding, and targeted marketing. BWI Marshall was the first U.S. airport to deploy Juniper vBLE in 2021.
Juniper’s Marvis® AI Assistant works with the Marvis AI engine to provide proactive and prescriptive actions that streamline operations and optimize user experiences.
“The Marvis AI Assistant watches for the Slice Wireless network operations team and tells us what it finds,” said Wright. “Marvis AI makes the network more stable and easier to manage.”
Exceptional Wi-Fi from curb to gate and beyond
Before Slice Wireless provided the public Wi-Fi at BWI Marshall, travelers regularly complained about slow and unreliable Wi-Fi. Since Slice Wireless took over the Wi-Fi in 2020, BWI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) score improved to 4.11 out of 5 in 2024, its highest rating. In 2021, BWI was recognized as a top North American airport of its size.
Mission-critical connectivity for airlines and concessions
Fast, dependable Juniper Wi-Fi allows BWI Marshall to bring new concessions online more quickly and cost-effectively. “In the past, it could take weeks or even months for a new concession to get broadband service,” said Wright. “With WiSNET and Juniper Wi-Fi, we can connect them in just a few days—helping businesses open sooner and start generating revenue faster.”
Enhance the passenger experience with smart airport solutions
The airport uses the Juniper network and indoor location services to improve the passenger experience, including for smart restrooms and smart parking. Occupancy analytics help custodial staff keep gate areas clean and tidy. Next up are wayfinding kiosks that help passengers navigate through the busy airport.
Drive incremental revenue
Before Slice Wireless, BWI Marshall did not receive any revenue from the public Wi-Fi or concession ISP service. After the takeover in 2020, Slice Wireless generated more than $1M in new revenue within the first year of operation from concession services and portal advertising, which it shares with the airport.
Published July 2025