New United App Features Make Connecting Flights Easier

Among the “big three” US carriers, United is in a league of its own when it comes to technology. The carrier’s customer facing tech is exceptional, and it’s an area where the airline keeps trying to differentiate itself. Here’s the latest example of that.

United app adds personalized connection information

United has just officially launched new, personalized mobile app features, that are supposed to make it easier to catch connecting flights.

Customers with connecting flights at United’s US hub airports can now access a special section of the app that includes a countdown to connecting flights, customized turn-by-turn directions to connecting gates with estimated walk times, real-time flight status updates, tips for longer layovers, and notifications if United’s ConnectionSaver technology has been activated to hold the plane for them. 

These new features expand on United’s ConnectionSaver technology, which is an AI-powered tool that has saved more than 3.3 million customer connections, since launching in 2019. The idea is that this tool automatically identifies departing flights that can be held for connecting customers, without delaying the on-time arrival of the customers who have already boarded. Now customers have full visibility into their connecting flights right on their phone screens.

More specifically, customers can expect the following personalized details, depending on the type of connection they’re making:

• Travelers with comfortable connections are provided personalized status updates to make their connecting flights, including countdown to boarding, gate-to-gate directions, and personalized tips to navigate large airports or long layovers, such as United Club location details
• Travelers with tight connections are provided key information to help them navigate the airport, including boarding time, walking time, gate number, and more, and they’ll also get app notifications if their next flight is being held for them with ConnectionSaver
• Travelers with missed connections automatically receive personalized re-booking options to get them back on their way, giving them options to rebook on a confirmed flight or join the standby list for earlier flights if a seat becomes available

United has trialed these app features during a beta test period this spring, and during that time, more than 350,000 customers used the new features.

These are minor but meaningful improvements

United’s investments in tech consistently impresses me. It’s not just that United is already in the number one spot when it comes to tech, but the airline is always looking to improve even more.

For example, ConnectionSaver is a program that people love, and which has saved millions of connections. How cool that with these updates, the app will actually tell you if a flight is being held for you.

Now, I am a bit curious about the logistics there. Presumably a plane is only going to be held for so long, so to what extent does it factor in where you’re seated on your arriving flight, how fast of a walker you are, if you route yourself via the food court, etc.