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

Home
»
Stories
»
2025
»
October

GLOBAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Qatar Airways In Talks To Buy 20% Of Virgin Australia - Airline Ratings

Boeing Will Buy Spirit AeroSystems For $4.7 Billion In Stock & Airbus Enters $559 Million Agreement For Its Parts

Bombardier Global Jet Production Stops in Toronto as Union Workers Strike | AIN

Global Industry News

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

Research

Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer | Air Canada

By Sky Industry News

Oct 12, 2025

Boarding passes for Air Canada and United Airlines passengers now feature a redesigned digital experience through Apple's latest iOS 26 update, which was released on September 15. The new format introduces several features aimed at improving the travel process.

The updated boarding passes include a Live Activity display that shows flight details directly on the home screen of Apple devices. Travelers can also access built-in airport maps and track their luggage using the Find My app. The boarding pass design itself has been changed to highlight important information such as departure and arrival airports, as well as airline status.

Previously, airlines and third-party apps like Flighty could create their own Live Activities for displaying flight information in a widget-style interface. With iOS 26, this capability is integrated into the Apple Wallet boarding pass. When travelers add a compatible boarding pass to Apple Wallet, they will see real-time flight updates on their home screen.

Get the Newsletter

Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

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.