United debuts Apple Wallet boarding passes
United travelers will start seeing redesigned Apple Wallet boarding passes that do more than get them through the gate. The airline is the first to support Apple's refreshed Wallet experience, adding Live Activities flight tracking, sharable updates for friends and family, airport maps opened directly from the pass, and deeper Find My integration for AirTag-tracked bags. Apple previewed the feature set in June, and the rollout has now gone live for United, with nine additional airlines committed to follow.
Key points
- Why it matters: Smarter mobile passes reduce app-switching and help travelers make tighter connections.
- Travel impact: Live Activities on the Lock Screen surface gates, times, and status without opening an app.
- What's next: Air Canada, American, Delta, JetBlue, Jetstar, Lufthansa Group, Qantas, Southwest, and Virgin Australia are slated to adopt the upgrade.
- United app tie-in: Summer updates added turn-by-turn gate guidance and countdown timers for close connections.
- Bag peace-of-mind: Wallet links to Find My for AirTag tracking and easier sharing with agents if a bag goes missing.
Snapshot
Apple's Wallet upgrade turns a static QR into a live trip companion. With United support now active, travelers can add a flight tracker as a Live Activity from the boarding pass, then share that activity so family can see progress and gate details, minus seat info. The pass includes airport maps via Wallet, and integrates with Find My so AirTag locations for checked bags are a tap away. Apple says nine more airlines are on deck, expanding coverage as carriers enable the new template and data feeds. For United flyers, this complements the carrier's summer app refresh that already offers personalized wayfinding and tight-connection tools.
Background
Apple announced refreshed boarding passes at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10, 2025, positioning Wallet as a central hub for trip details. The company named ten launch partners, including United, and documented new Wallet template capabilities for airlines. Separately, Apple updated support materials to explain how travelers can share a boarding pass' Live Activity with others. On United's side, the airline rolled out connection-saving features over the summer, adding estimated walk times, turn-by-turn directions, real-time status, and a countdown to departure for passengers facing short connects. Today's Wallet integration brings those ideas to the Lock Screen and pass itself, reducing friction at the most stressful moments of a trip.
Latest developments
United leads Apple Wallet's enhanced boarding pass rollout
United is first to ship the refreshed Apple Wallet boarding pass experience, enabling Live Activities from the pass, airport maps, and quick access to Find My for AirTag-equipped luggage. Apple reiterates that additional airlines, including Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Jetstar, Lufthansa Group, Qantas, Southwest Airlines, and Virgin Australia, have committed to the upgrade. While many airline apps already provide status and wayfinding, Live Activities centralizes critical details on the Lock Screen and enables privacy-conscious sharing so friends or a pickup ride can monitor flight progress without exposing seat numbers or groups. As more carriers switch on Wallet's new templates, travelers should see a consistent, less fragmented pre-departure and day-of-travel experience.
Analysis
Apple and United are closing a long-standing usability gap: the need to juggle multiple apps for status, gates, maps, and bag tracking. By moving flight progress and gate changes to a persistent Live Activity that originates from a Wallet pass, the most vital data is now glanceable, reducing cognitive load during boarding and connections. The privacy guardrails on shared Live Activities are well considered, limiting exposure of personally sensitive details while still conveying actionable status to family or rides. Operationally, the upgrade also plays to United's strengths. The airline's summer app refresh added personalized, gate-to-gate guidance and real-time connection tools; surfacing similar signals through Wallet should cut missed-connection anxiety and shrink agent interactions at peak times. The broader value will depend on how quickly the other nine airlines flip the switch and how reliably live data populates across irregular operations. If adoption is swift, Wallet could become the default day-of-travel surface for iPhone users, with airline apps focusing on booking, servicing, and trip personalization.
Final thoughts
For iPhone users, United's early move effectively turns the boarding pass into a live dashboard. With sharable Live Activities, airport maps, and integrated Find My access layered onto Wallet, the fragmented dance between apps should ease, especially during tight connects. As additional airlines follow, expect a more consistent experience across carriers and trips. For now, United flyers stand to benefit first from the refreshed Apple Wallet boarding pass.