United Airlines is testing another technology-driven perk designed to take some of the stress and rushing out of the airport experience.
The airline announced Wednesday that it has launched a pilot program at Newark Liberty International Airport that allows eligible travelers to order food, drinks and even travel essentials through the United app and have the items waiting for them at their departure gate.
The service is currently being tested on select United flights departing from or connecting through as many as nine designated gates in Newark’s Terminal C, specifically in the C125-C138 gate area.
Here’s how it works: Eligible customers receive a push notification through the United app or an email before departure inviting them to place an order. Available items include sandwiches, salads, beverages, kids meals, chips and candy, along with useful travel necessities such as select over-the-counter medications, travel pillows and charging cords.
Instead of heading to a restaurant or airport shop and potentially getting stuck in line, passengers can pick up their order from a designated shelf near the gate. They can eat there or take the food with them onto the aircraft.
That could be particularly useful at a major connecting hub such as Newark, where a delayed inbound flight or short connection can leave travelers choosing between grabbing something to eat and getting to their next gate on time.
“The time right before boarding is one of those moments when customers want quick, easy access to food without added complexity,” United Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman said in announcing the pilot.
United is working with airport hospitality company OTG on the Newark test, with participating restaurants including Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill.
And Newark apparently won’t be the only airport trying it.
United says it plans to expand the pilot program to Houston later this year, where travelers will see popular national restaurant brands and additional options to either pick up their food or have it delivered directly to the gate.
The airline will use customer feedback from the pilots to determine whether the program should eventually expand to additional airports. One particularly interesting possibility is United’s plan to integrate food ordering into its seatback entertainment system if the service expands, potentially allowing passengers to arrange an airport food order right from their seat.
My Take
There’s one thing I’ll give United: when it comes to airline technology, the carrier continues to put itself well ahead of much of the competition.
I fly American Airlines often, and from my experience, the difference between the two airlines on the technology side can be pretty noticeable. United has been aggressive about using its app and other digital tools to solve the little problems that can make traveling frustrating. Add gate-side food ordering to the mix, and United’s technology advantage becomes even more compelling.
It’s also the kind of innovation that actually serves a purpose. Travelers don’t necessarily need another flashy feature in an airline app. But anyone who has sprinted through an airport during a tight connection, arrived at the gate hungry and realized there wasn’t enough time to stand in a restaurant line can immediately understand the value here.
United has already been investing heavily in the digital side of the passenger experience, including its rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi, inflight entertainment improvements and app features such as its TSA wait-time tracker. Gate-side ordering fits naturally into that strategy.
Now United needs to see whether the concept works reliably in the real world. Getting the right order to the right gate at the right time — especially at a busy hub with gate changes, delays and thousands of connecting passengers — will be the real test.
Hopefully the Newark pilot goes well, Houston follows successfully, and United eventually brings the service to all of its major airports. If it works as advertised, this is one airline technology feature travelers could actually use.
