This New App Feature Guarantees You Won’t Miss Your Flight

For those who often underestimate the time remaining before boarding or feel the urge to repeatedly check the airport's flight information displays for gate changes or delays, this new app feature can provide peace of mind.

United Airlines has recently rolled out Live Activities, an Apple feature that offers travelers real-time updates on their lock screens. (Currently, this technology is unavailable for Android users.) Passengers with the United app who have checked in for their flight can view up-to-the-minute details about their departure gate and a live countdown to boarding (and subsequently departure) without needing to open the app. Additionally, from the Live Activity widget, customers can quickly access their boarding pass with a simple swipe.

“This innovative feature is yet another example of how United is utilizing technology,” stated Linda Jojo, United’s chief customer officer, during a press conference in Denver on May 24. She noted that customers access the United app over 800,000 times each day, often checking multiple times to confirm their gate hasn’t changed and that they’re still on schedule. Jojo emphasized that having this feature readily available on the lock screen will help customers save precious time.

Once airborne, the Live Activity feature shifts to a countdown until landing, and once the plane has landed, it provides information about the baggage carousel.

For iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max users, this information is also displayed on the Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped area on the iPhone screen, ensuring visibility even while scrolling through social media or replying to emails.

Live Activity software has been accessible since the iOS 16.1 update released on October 24, 2022. So far, travel-related apps like Uber and Lyft have integrated it to show pick-up countdowns, while Park Mobile has utilized it for meter expiration reminders. However, United is the first airline to implement this iPhone feature.