United Airlines has begun offering an automatic standby feature in its app.
Passengers who have been rebooked onto a later flight due to operational disruptions and wish to take an earlier flight can add themselves to the standby list for up to three flights to the same destination. Once registered, they will automatically receive a text message notification if a seat becomes available. Their confirmed original booking will be retained until they choose to switch to the earlier flight.
The feature was introduced ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend, during which more than 3.4 million passengers are expected to travel with the airline. This represents an anticipated increase of approximately 300,000 passengers from the previous year. More than 85% of passengers use the app on the day of travel, highlighting its growing role. The app already offers features including automatic rebooking, meal and accommodation vouchers, and baggage tracking.
