United deal with Apple to show flight info on locked iPhone

United became the first U.S. airline to give Apple's iPhone users real-time access to boarding passes, gate and seat numbers and countdown clock to departure time on their locked screens, all without opening the United app.

Given that United customers check their mobile boarding pass and flight status nearly 800,000 times each day, this new feature makes it easier and faster for them to receive timely updates and important flight details, the company said.

"We're seeing soaring demand for travel this summer, and [this feature] puts all the flight information you need right at your fingertips, whether your iPhone is locked or you're doing something else like checking email, listening to music or texting friends," said Linda Jojo, chief customer officer for United. "This new feature is another way United is leveraging technology to improve our customers' travel journey. It's going to save passengers a lot of time, and we think they're going to love it, especially during a busy travel season."

The feature works with Apple’s “Live Activities,” which allow for real-time notifications on locked screens from participating apps. Users with an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max can also view the notifications on Apple’s “Dynamic Island.”

Support for “Live Activities” has started to roll out to United travelers and will be widely available by the end of May. To experience the new features, customers should verify that their iPhone is running iOS 16.1 or later and their United app is up to date.