United Airlines has unveiled a suite of new, personalized features within its mobile app designed to make connecting flights smoother and less stressful, just in time for the busy summer travel season. The newly launched tools offer customers with connecting flights at United’s U.S. hub airports real-time updates, a countdown to their next flight, estimated walking times, turn-by-turn gate directions, and tips for navigating layovers. These features also alert travellers if United’s AI-powered ConnectionSaver has been activated to hold their next flight.
Exclusive to the United app, the features built on ConnectionSaver have helped over 3.3 million customers make connections since 2019 without delaying on-time departures for other passengers. During a beta trial earlier this year, over 350,000 travellers tested the new tools with a 98 per cent success rate in making their connecting flights.
David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer, stated, “We know that giving people more information, in a transparent and easy-to-understand way, can help de-stress the connecting flight experience. Our award-winning mobile app is a game-changer during travel, and with these new features, our customers will have even more real-time details about their flight and as a result, have an even better experience flying United.
The app personalizes user experience based on the nature of the connection:
Comfortable Connections: Provide boarding countdowns, gate directions, and leisure tips like United ClubSM locations.
Tight Connections: Offer real-time alerts, walking time estimates, and notifications if flights are held.
Missed Connections: Automatically present personalized rebooking options, including confirmed or standby flight alternatives.
With over 20 million customers expected to fly with connections this summer, United also announced further enhancements in the pipeline:
Multilingual Support: Expanding from English and Spanish to more languages.
Location Services: Soon to allow live tracking and hyper-detailed terminal navigation.
Text Notifications: Upgraded SMS alerts for all connection types, providing real-time updates.
United continues to push digital innovation across its services, offering automatic rebooking with self-service options, AI-supported weather alerts with radar maps, Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus® members, and improved baggage tracking through Apple’s Share Item Location for AirTags.
