United Adds Automated Multi-Flight Standby Tool to Mobile App

United Airlines is adding an automated standby tool in its mobile app, giving rebooked travelers a way to join standby lists for up to three earlier flights during irregular operations (IROPs) without giving up their existing confirmed seats.

Now, when flight disruptions hit, travelers rebooked onto later departures can use the United Airlines mobile app to select up to three earlier flights heading to the same destination. United’s system then continuously monitors inventory behind the scenes and sends an automated text notification the moment a seat opens up.

Crucially for clients, their confirmed fallback reservation remains untouched until they actively confirm and accept the earlier seat assignment.

For travel advisors, this tool shifts a significant portion of IROP recovery directly to the traveler’s phone, helping clients secure earlier routing without standing in airport gate lines or waiting on hold with customer support.

Advisors should remind clients traveling on United to keep the mobile app installed, verify their phone numbers before departure, and use the feature to stay flexible while keeping their confirmed travel plans as a safety net.

No other major U.S. airline offers this kind of automated, multi-standby setup. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines allow travelers to request same-day standby or same-day confirmed flight changes through their mobile apps within a 24-hour window. However, those setups typically require picking a single flight at a time, manual tracking, or forfeiting a seat position.

Other United Airlines App Enhancements

The standby feature isn’t the only addition that United is rolling out. It’s also adding a bunch of other self-service updates specifically designed to ease airport friction.

Starting now, travelers can add their U.S. passport to Apple Wallet to enroll directly in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID through the United app. The app will also give travelers updates on TSA security wait times at its hub airports.
TSA

The app will also track a couple of things that have become crucial for flyers, and that other airlines offer.

The first is baggage location-United is integrating Apple’s Share Item Location into the app, so travelers with AirTags or Find My items in their luggage will be able to track it inside the app.
Apple Support

The second is their inbound plane-just like Delta, which offers a “Where Is My Plane?” option, United will enable travelers to see where their inbound plane is directly in the app.