United Airlines updates app to include real-time boarding updates, other features
United Airlines on Tuesday updated its mobile app with several new features that it hopes will make holiday travel easier for flyers.
Passengers who are sick of crowding at the gate and lining up early are sure to welcome the new "virtual gate" feature. This feature will display real-time updates about which groups are boarding, and it will show a progress bar indicating how many people have boarded the plane so far.
For lounge-goers, a new "closest and best" feature will recommend nearby United Clubs based on where the passenger's gate is, and (maybe more importantly) how crowded each location is. United said that the feature is available now at its O'Hare International Airport (ORD) hub and will roll out to other airports throughout 2026. The airline has five United Club lounges at ORD, plus a more exclusive Polaris Lounge.
Elite goals: United won’t hike Premier status requirements in 2026, but announces big upgrade, PlusPoints changes
United has also improved its bag tracking feature, which now has what the airline describes as a "package-delivery-style" tracker that shows your bags' real-time location throughout the trip at each touchpoint.
Another new feature offers personalized information for travelers, such as details on wheelchair service or checking strollers, reminders about required and missing travel documentation like passports or visas, and information about biometric boarding options (where those are available).
Finally, the app now offers enhanced arrivals information, such as local weather conditions and detailed instructions on how to connect to ride-hailing services at that specific airport.
"The more information our customers have, the more confident they feel about their trip — and that’s particularly important during the holidays,” David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer, said in a statement. "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."
United said that the new features are rolling out to users now. If you aren't seeing them, try updating your United app in your phone's app store.
Related reading: