Últimas Noticias de Aviación Comercial

United Airlines Adds New Features to Its Mobile App to Streamline Travel Experience

Redacción - Aviación al Día

United Airlines has introduced a series of new features to its mobile app aimed at saving passengers time and comprehensively improving the travel experience with the airline. These updates come at a key moment, as the company anticipates carrying more than 10 million people during the peak winter travel season, its highest number ever recorded for that period.

A Virtual Gate Providing Real-Time Information

Among the new features, “Virtual Gate” stands out. This tool offers real-time updates on which boarding groups are being called. It incorporates a progress bar indicating how many passengers have already boarded the plane, helping to avoid unnecessary waits at the gate area and improving pre-flight organization.

United Club: Recommendations Based on Proximity and Capacity

The app also adds a feature called “closest and best” for United Club locations. This system recommends the lounges closest to the traveler’s departure gate while also considering the available capacity in each space. Initially, capacity information is being provided at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), with a progressive rollout to other airports planned for 2026.

Luggage Tracking with Package-Level Precision

Another significant improvement is the updated baggage tracking system. United has incorporated a tracking system similar to package delivery services, showing the luggage’s location in real time throughout the entire journey. This feature is complemented by integration with Apple Share Item Location for AirTags, allowing customers to share the accessory’s location with the customer service team in case of baggage issues.

→ Boeing and United Airlines Test Advanced Digital Communications for the Future of Aviation

Personalized Information Throughout the Journey

The app now offers personalized updates, including guidance for those traveling with strollers or wheelchairs, reminders about mandatory documents, and biometric boarding options. Furthermore, upon arrival, passengers receive data such as local real-time weather conditions, estimated arrival time, and instructions for connecting with rideshare services directly from the airport.

AI-Assisted Navigation

United explained that these improvements are supported by AI-assisted navigation tools. The system is designed to predict which features may be most useful at each stage of the trip and tailor the content for each passenger. According to the airline, over 84% of its customers use the app on the day of their flight, and during beta testing of the latest enhancements, transparent communication, time savings, and real-time information were particularly valued.

Previous Innovations Reinforcing Self-Service and Transparency

The company noted that for years it has led the way in incorporating innovations focused on customer self-service and clarity. These include:

Personalized Connections

Features that facilitate connections between flights, with step-by-step directions to gates, estimated walking times, flight status updates, tips for long layovers, and alerts when it may be possible to hold a plane for tight connections.

Automatic Assistance for Delays or Cancellations

Self-service tools that offer personalized rebookings, baggage details, and, when applicable, meal or hotel vouchers, without the need to stand in lines or search for alternatives manually.

Real-Time Weather Alerts

Text messages with real-time radar maps that help passengers understand how severe weather in one region might affect a flight in another. United is currently the first and only U.S. airline to send this type of communication, relying on generative artificial intelligence tools.

A “Personal Assistant” in Your Pocket

David Kinzelman, Chief Customer Officer of United, stated that having more information builds greater confidence among travelers, especially during the holidays. He explained that the app provides personalized, real-time updates throughout the entire journey, making customers feel as if they have a personal assistant guiding them every step of the way.

The new features have already begun rolling out and will be widely available before the period of highest demand for year-end travel, reinforcing United’s bet on technology as the central pillar of the passenger experience.

Exit mobile version