United Airlines have added a real-time TSA queue tracker to their app, the first feature of its kind launched by a US airline.
Customers can now use the app to check wait times for standard screening and TSA PreCheck lanes. Available at several hub airports, including Chicago, LAX, and Washington Dulles, the integration helps passengers manage their journeys more effectively. United’s Chief Information Officer Jason Birnbaum commented:
Our customers rely on our mobile app for all their travel needs, and this new feature lets them know what to expect and better plan their trip,
The announcement comes amid an ongoing government shutdown in the US Department of Homeland Security. With workers going unpaid during the dispute, TSA acting chief Ha Nguyen McNeill reported that security wait times at airport were the longest-ever reported. A directive from President Trump ensured many workers got paid on 30 March, but the shutdown is still yet to be resolved.
Birnbaum added:
We appreciate the work and professionalism of our TSA agents, and while most began receiving back pay [last] week, the US Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues and people want to stay informed about expected security wait times at our airports.
The United Airlines app is among the most sophisticated on the market, and even won World Aviation Festival’s Battle of the Airline Apps 2023. Key UX additions include a Virtual Gate to help passengers board, and sophisticated travel disruption tools for easy booking management in the event of cancellations or delays. The new TSA wait time hopes to consolidate United’s position as the most-download airline app in the US.
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