Tight layover? United Airlines wants to take the stress out of catching your next flight with AI and maps

Date:
Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:01:00 +0000

Description:
United Airlines latest app update might just help you catch your next flight thanks to some tech upgrades, including turn-by-turn directions in the airport.

FULL STORY ======================================================================United Airlines is rolling out a small, but key update that might just help you make your connection ConnectionSaver will now give you turn-by-turn directions to make your connecting flight at United's hubs It will also show relevant information in real-time in the app

Lets be real, having to catch a connecting flight isn't the easiest, especially if the time between your first flight and the second becomes crazy tight as a result of a delay. It can be a very high-stress moment, but now United Airlines is trying to make it a little less stressful.

Weve already seen United adopt Live Activities on the iPhone to make it easy to view key information without opening the app, and the airline has mapped many airports for easy navigation, as well as rolled out some surprisingly helpful features.

So now in time for peak summer travel season, United is updating its ConnectionSaver technology for those connecting within one of its hubs Newark, NJ, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, or Guam to the effect that youll see flight status in real-time, tips, and a prominent notice if Uniteds ConnectionSaver is activated.

With this, using AI and Uniteds teams, they can hold the flight at the gate for a bit longer and provide you with a countdown clock without delaying
the arrival to help you make the flight. (Image credit: United Airlines)

Even better, though, United will also inform your in-flight crew if thats the case and also provide turn-by-turn navigation directions. This way, you dont have to scramble off the aircraft and run out of the gate, not knowing if you need to go left or right. In a shared video previewed by TechRadar, the app will provide turn-by-turn directions and even inform you if you need to take an escalator to a tunnel or hop on a tram to reach the gate.

Speaking to TechRadar, Uniteds Chief Customer Officer, David Kinzelman, told us that theyve mapped all their facilities, and we feel really good about the maps that we have and the times and the distances to provide accurate real-time navigation.

Im particularly excited about the real-time navigation paired with ConnectionSaver, as if you're lucky enough to have a stop through a hub with the first flight arriving late, these two features together could help you actually make the connection. That will need to be tested, of course, and youll need to be saved with ConnectionSaver. If the latter doesnt come through, or if you get to the gate a bit too late, you can rebook via the United Airlines app and access customer service from there as well.

This update is rolling out now, and ConnectionSaver has already been live. If youre keen to give it a try or at least access the turn-by-turn navigation,
be sure to update the United Airlines app on your iPhone or Android device.

And if youre a fan of the Live Activity on the iPhone , Kinzelman told us
that they're exploring integrating this update into that experience and that we will at some point link the two.

The other big technology trend for United Airlines thus far in 2025 has been the start of its rollout of Starlink-powered Wi-Fi for gate-to-gate connectivity at no cost for members of its MileagePlus rewards program. Its already on several United Express regional jets , and the airline says it
will be on the entire fleet by the end of the year, with the process of installing it on its larger mainline jets to begin by the end of the year.
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/websites-apps/tight-layover-uniteds-new-te ch-might-help-you-make-the-connection-without-the-panic


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