United promises a better travel experience for passengers

This summer, United was the first U.S. carrier to allow customers to scan their passports to check in for international flights via their iOS and Android mobile devices. After checking in via the app, you have the option of verifying your existing stored passport data or scanning your passport — the app uses the mobile device’s camera feature similar to mobile banking. Once the verification process is complete, you may obtain a boarding pass.

Later this year, United MileagePlus members can look forward to a redesigned website. The site promises a simplified, clearer and faster user experience.

United is also launching a redesigned onboard portal for mobile devices offering day passes and subscriptions available soon. Customers can pay for their onboard WiFi when signing into the service with their MileagePlus credentials.

In other news from United, customers of the airline in Chicago O’Hare can now use self-service bag tagging when checking their bags for a flight. Flight kiosks can not only check in passengers and issue boarding passes, but you can now get self-adhesive luggage tags from the kiosks. Flyers will then drop their bags in a dedicated line, and soon, flyers will be able to print their bag tags at home before going to the airport.

American Airlines has offered self-tagging at O’Hare since March 2013 and around 10,000 American flyers take advantage of the ability each week.