New passenger features are rolling out in the United Airlines App, with United updating how travellers manage flights and their travel experience.
United Airlines App update
As the busy holiday travel season gets underway, United has begun rolling out a fresh set of updates to the United Airlines App, continuing its push to make it an industry leader.
If you fly United regularly, you’ll know the app is already a helpful travel companion with recent features such as flight path weather updates, Apple AirTag integration and a partnership with Spotify.
United says these latest updates, which are rolling out now, are focused on improving how passengers manage their flights, move through the airport, and use digital tools on board.
One of the most visible additions is Virtual Gate, a feature designed to centralise boarding and flight updates inside the United Airlines App. Instead of relying on gate screens or audio announcements that are easy to miss, passengers see a live feed of boarding status, group calls and timing updates directly on their phone.
The idea is to reduce the need to hover near the gate (gate lice, this means you!!) when boarding is delayed or staggered.
The app also introduces a new closest and best feature for United Club access. Rather than simply listing nearby lounges, the app now highlights which United Club is most practical based on location, capacity and amenities, helping travellers decide whether a detour is worthwhile during a tight connection or a long layover.
United has also upgraded its excellent mobile bag tracking, expanding the level of detail available once bags are checked. The updated experience is designed to show where bags are in the handling process and when they are expected to arrive, reducing the uncertainty that often follows late connections or aircraft swaps.
On arrival, the app now automatically surfaces local arrival information. Passengers can see live local weather conditions, estimated arrival times and step-by-step guidance on connecting to rideshare services directly from the airport, all within the United Airlines App rather than switching between multiple services.
Taken together, and the roll-out of free on-board Starlink internet access, these updates focus on moments where travellers typically lose time or context rather than adding new destinations or booking tools.
