United Airlines has unveiled major upgrades to its mobile app, including a “Virtual Gate,” real-time baggage tracking and AI-driven personalisation, as it prepares for record holiday travel demand.

 United Airlines has introduced a new suite of digital features to its award-winning mobile app, deepening its push to streamline airport journeys and reduce travel friction as the carrier prepares for its busiest winter holiday season on record.

At the centre of the update is “Virtual Gate,” a new tool that gives passengers real-time visibility into the boarding process. Instead of waiting anxiously at the gate, customers can now see which boarding groups are being called and track progress through a visual bar showing how many passengers have already boarded.

The airline has also enhanced the United Club experience with a new “closest and best” recommendation feature that directs travellers to nearby lounges based on gate proximity and real-time capacity. Capacity insights are initially available at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, with a wider rollout planned across the network in 2026.

Another major upgrade is a package-delivery-style baggage tracker, allowing customers to follow their checked bags in real time throughout the journey. The feature builds on United’s broader investment in baggage transparency, including its integration with Apple AirTag location sharing for mishandled luggage.

United says the latest app release uses AI-supported navigation and prediction tools to personalise information at every stage of travel. Customers now receive tailored guidance on travelling with strollers or wheelchairs, reminders about travel document requirements, biometric boarding options, and arrival-focused updates such as live local weather and airport-specific rideshare instructions.

“The more information our customers have, the more confident they feel about their trip—especially during the holidays,” said David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer. “The United app now acts like a personal assistant, offering real-time, personalised updates from departure to arrival.”

The upgrades come as United expects to handle more than 10 million passengers between December 18 and January 6, the highest holiday traffic in the airline’s history. According to the airline, over 84pc of customers already use the app on the day of travel, and beta testing showed strong appreciation for time savings, transparency and real-time communication.

The enhancements build on United’s broader digital strategy, which includes personalised connection guidance with walking times between gates, automatic self-service rebooking during disruptions, real-time weather delay alerts, and proactive delivery of hotel and meal vouchers when eligible.

United says the new features are now rolling out to customers and will be fully available ahead of the peak holiday travel period, reinforcing the airline’s position as a leader in digital passenger experience.