United Airlines Introduces Digital Tool to Help Navigate CDC Requirements

United Airlines introduced on Monday its “Travel-Ready Center” digital tool, aimed at making it easier for customers to navigate travel restrictions, just as the CDC testing requirement for international travel goes into effect.

Through the app- and web-based platform, customers can review COVID-19 entry requirements, find local testing options, and upload any required testing and vaccination records for domestic and international travel, all in one place.

Customers who upload test results can be also be cleared for check-in and receive their boarding pass before getting to the airport.

Those with an active reservation can access the United Travel-Ready Center through the “My Trips” section of the United App and on united.com. There, passengers can find tailored details on requirements for all travelers 18 and older on a customer’s itinerary, with status indicators noting if they are travel-ready based on specific requirements each individual needs to meet in order to board their flight, including any additional requirements for connecting flights.

Once a passenger uploads their required documents, the documents will be reviewed by United employees for verification. The individual status indicators for each passenger will then note whether they are “travel ready” and they will be allowed to complete the check-in process.

United added that flyers should still plan to bring the physical documents to the airport in case further inspection is needed.

In the weeks and months ahead, United will roll out additional features designed to help navigate these evolving requirements. The carrier will soon integrate existing digital tools, including the recently launched Agent on Demand, where customers can video chat with a live agent for any questions.

According to United, it will be the first airline to allow customers to schedule a COVID-19 test at one of more than 15,000 testing sites around the world through the Travel-Ready Center. The test provider will then alert United directly if a passenger is cleared.

Customers will also soon also be able to view details about visa requirements for the countries they plan to visit in the United Travel-Ready Center.