Can Scan Passport Into United Airlines App

Passport scanning via the United mobile app has arrived. UA implemented the ability to scan and verify your passport directly from the mobile app earlier this week, allowing you to head straight to security. According to the press release, once you've scanned your passport with your iPhone or Android camera, the app sends the details to credentials management company Jumio Inc, who verify that your passport is valid which then allows you to download your boarding pass. If your passport is already registered with United from a previous international flight, you don't need to scan it again, it is verified automatically. Here's the full PR:

United Airlines today became the first U.S. airline to offer customers the ability to scan their passports to check in for international flights via their iOS and Android mobile devices. United is offering customers the opportunity to use passport scanning functionality on the airline's mobile app as the carrier completes testing.

Customers may access the passport scanning feature when checking in for international flights in the 24 hours before departure. After initiating the app's check-in feature, customers will have the option of verifying their existing stored passport data or scanning their passport. The app uses the mobile device's camera feature to capture travelers' passports, similar to a mobile banking deposit. Jumio Inc., a credentials management company, will then verify the passport for additional security. Once the verification process is complete, customers may obtain a boarding pass. Customers requiring additional travel documentation, such as visas, will continue to check in at the airport.

"We are focused on building the most useful travel app in the industry for our customers," saidScott Wilson, United's vice president of merchandising and ecommerce. "The new passport scanning feature saves valuable time and provides customers with more options to control their travel experience."

United will collect feedback during the testing phase of passport scanning functionality with the goal of further improving the product and launching additional customer-friendly features utilizing this technology.

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Adam

Adam is the proud Founder and CEO of both Point Me to the Plane and point.me. An international consultant turned TV programming strategist, Adam currently works full-time on both websites. His obsession with points and miles dates back to his freshman year at college. After browsing Flyertalk and Mileage Workshop, Adam pulled the trigger and signed up for his first Citibank AAdvantage credit card and MCI phone line (yes, landlines still existed). Back then, both deals were churnable and in no time at all, the college freshman had enough miles to travel to Europe and Asia in First Class for free, multiple times. Needless to say, he was hooked! Fast forward a few years and Adam of course ended up in a career with a heavy travel requirement…which meant extra miles for awards! As his colleagues and friends started to hear about and see pictures from his trips, they wanted in on the secret and Adam began to assist them with their bookings, Juicy Miles was born. At the same time, Adam started an email newsletter to prevent those less obsessed co-workers from squandering their point collection opportunities. The bi-weekly email covered everything from upcoming promotions, guidance on maximizing points, and redemption advice. The distribution quickly expanded outside the office and Point Me to the Plane became a BoardingArea blog.