United Ups the Smartphone App Game With Passport Scanning Feature

Yesterday United Airlines began offering some passengers on international flights the ability to scan their passports using iPhones and Android devices and United’s app.

Previously, passengers could manage parts of their international flights, but they were not able to receive a boarding pass before the passport was verified at the airport.

The app is in a test phase at this point, so not all customers will be able to use it. United’s app functions in a similar manner to a banking app that allows customers to snap photos of a check in order to make a deposit.

“We are focused on building the most useful travel app in the industry for our customers,” said Scott Wilson, United’s vice president of merchandising and ecommerce. “The new passport scanning feature saves valuable time and provides customers with more options to control their travel experience.”

United was the first U.S. airlines to have mobile boarding passes, as well as mobile checkin at all U.S. airports it serves.