SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 27, 2025 - United Airlines has rolled out a new set of mobile app capabilities designed to reduce airport friction, improve real-time transparency, and shift more travel support into self-service workflows during peak travel demand.
What United added to the app
United's latest release introduces three customer-facing functions aimed at common operational pinch points: boarding visibility, lounge selection, and baggage location tracking. The new "Virtual Gate" feature shows which boarding groups are currently boarding and includes a progress bar indicating how many people have boarded, helping travelers time their arrival at the gate area. United also introduced a United ClubSM "closest and best" recommendation tool that points travelers to nearby clubs based on proximity to their gate and available capacity, with capacity insights starting at Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and planned to expand to additional airports in 2026.
Baggage and trip updates move closer to real-time logistics tracking
United also upgraded mobile bag tracking to a package-delivery-style experience, showing real-time bag locations throughout the journey. For airline operators, visibility features like these can help reduce service friction when bags are delayed or misrouted, because customers arrive to counters with clearer expectations and better context. Combined with more proactive in-app guidance, the changes also aim to reduce dependence on last-minute announcements and in-person troubleshooting at airports.
Personalization targets accessibility, documents and arrivals
Beyond gate, lounge and bag features, the app now provides personalized updates across multiple stages of travel. United said this includes guidance for travelers flying with strollers or wheelchairs, reminders about required travel documents, and information on biometric boarding options. On arrival, the app can surface live local weather conditions, estimated local arrival time, and instructions for connecting to rideshare services directly from the airport. The operational value for carriers is the same principle that has driven modern digital passenger service: fewer surprises at the airport, fewer manual interventions, and more consistent information delivery at scale.
AI-supported navigation and "next best action" style guidance
United said it is improving the app with AI-supported navigation tools that predict which features would be most useful during a trip and personalize content to each traveler. In practice, this type of contextual prompting can help airlines steer passengers toward self-serve capabilities at moments when agent queues peak, while also creating clearer digital pathways for irregular operations and tight connections. United framed the updates as particularly relevant during periods of heavy demand, noting it expects to welcome more than 10 million people during the winter holiday travel season.
Adoption signals and service outcomes United is highlighting
United said more than 84% of its customers use the app on the day they fly, and that beta-testing results indicated customers valued time saved and improved transparency. For B2B stakeholders across airports, airlines, and travel technology providers, those adoption levels matter because digital features only reduce operational load when usage is high enough to change passenger behavior. United positioned the release as part of a longer-running push toward self-service and transparency, including prior capabilities that address connections, disruption handling, and baggage recovery support.
- Virtual Gate provides real-time boarding group updates and boarding progress visibility
- United Club "closest and best" recommends nearby lounges and uses capacity insights starting at ORD
- Bag tracking now uses a package-delivery-style tracker with real-time locations
- Personalized updates cover accessibility guidance, travel documents and biometric boarding options
- Arrival guidance includes live weather data and airport rideshare connection steps
Executive perspective and rollout timing
United's leadership emphasized confidence and clarity as the business goal of real-time, personalized information during high-volume travel. "The more information our customers have, the more confident they feel about their trip - and that's particularly important during the holidays," said David Kinzelman, United's Chief Customer Officer. United said the new app features are rolling out to customers and will be widely available ahead of the holiday travel period, which the company defined as travel between December 18, 2025 and January 6, 2026.
Learn more at https://www.united.com