Air Canada and United introduce enhanced digital boarding passes with Apple’s iOS 26

Apple has also made it possible to share flight tracking with others via iMessage. Friends or family members who receive this information can add the Live Activity to their own home screens, making it easier to monitor flights for pickups or coordination.

The new digital passes provide direct links for directions to terminals and gates, along with one-tap access to luggage tracking if travelers use AirTags. Additional options are available by selecting "Pass Details," where users can find more information about their flight or access hyperlinks related to different aspects of their journey. For example, clicking "Flight Status" on an Air Canada boarding pass takes users directly to the current status page of that flight. Other available links may allow seat changes or last-minute upgrades.

This revamped experience is currently accessible on all Apple devices running iOS 26. More airlines are expected to support the format soon; American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas and Virgin Australia have indicated plans to adopt these updates in the coming weeks.

"Better yet, you can share the flight tracker with a friend or family member via iMessage, and they will be able to add the Live Activity to their home screen — perfect if they're picking you up from the airport and want to see your flight information at a glance."

"For instance, clicking on 'Flight Status' on an Air Canada boarding pass will bring you right into the flight's status screen. Other examples include links to change your seat and purchase a last-minute upgrade."

The updated digital boarding passes aim to make air travel smoother by consolidating essential tools and information within Apple's ecosystem.