United Airlines has added some new features to its popular mobile app which are intended to improve the day-of travel experience for customers.
United Improves Boarding, United Club Access, and Bag Tracking in its Mobile App
In my opinion, United has the best mobile app of the major U.S. based carriers and it really isn’t close. Now, the Chicago based carrier is adding three new features that are intended to improve the travel experience for its passengers.
Virtual Gate
The first major enhancement is known as Virtual Gate. This upgrade is intended to give passengers real-time updates about which groups are boarding along with a progress bar that shows how many people have boarded.
This is intended to eliminate gate lice though I’m skeptical that this will do much to improve the boarding experience. Adding these features to the app likely won’t stop those in Group 5 that currently crowd the Group 1 lane prior to boarding. It will be helpful for those who do wait their turn to board as they can stay seated in the gate area longer, even if they can’t see the boarding screens.
United Club ‘Closest and Best’
The next improvement is to provide passengers with a better United Club experience. The update will show passengers recommended United Club locations based on proximity to the user’s gate while taking into account current club capacity.
This updates sounds similar to the current functionality within the Fly Delta app that highlights crowding at Delta Sky Clubs but with the added benefit of blending capacity with gate proxemity.
United notes that this feature will initially be offered at its Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) hub before being rolled out to additional airports in 2026.
Additional Upgrades
United is improving travel and arrival information in the upgraded app showcasing things like live local weather, biometric boarding options, and special guidance for travelers with strollers or wheelchairs.
Bag tracking also gets an upgrade with the app providing a package-delivery style tracker that provides real time updates as your bag is scanned throughout the travel journey. David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer, said this about the changes:
“The more information our customers have, the more confident they feel about their trip – and that’s particularly important during the holidays. The United app gives travelers personalized, real-time updates during their entire travel journey, helping our customers feel like they have a personal assistant guiding them every step of the way.”
According to the airline, roughly 85% of passengers use the United app on the day of travel so these improvements should make it easier for all 10+ million travelers the airline expects to serve during the winter holiday period.
United is currently in the process of rolling out these enhancements ahead of the peak travel period, so be on the lookout for these changes over the next few days.
Summary
United already has the best mobile app of the big three U.S. carriers and these improvements should make using it more enjoyable. Personally, my favorite feature is the ‘Closest and Best’ feature for United Clubs. Hopefully that functionality rolls out soon, especially in airports like Houston and Denver.