iOS 26: Apple’s new Wallet app revamps boarding passes for smoother air travel

Apple has unveiled a major update to the Wallet app in iOS 26, enhancing the boarding pass experience to simplify air travel. The upgrade introduces real-time flight tracking, integrated baggage location tools, and instant airport navigation. Boarding passes now leverage Live Activities, allowing travelers to check flight status directly from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island on newer iPhones. Additionally, users can access terminal maps and track luggage in real time using Apple’s Find My app, functionalities once exclusive to third-party apps.
Thomas Westerholm for Newsweek:
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For frequent flyers, managing check-in details, gate changes and baggage claims across various platforms has long been a pain point.
Apple’s new integration promises to simplify this process, consolidating updates into a single interface while extending visibility to friends and family. When a user shares their flight, others can view the Live Activity without seeing sensitive information like seat numbers or boarding groups.
United’s adoption of the iOS 26 boarding pass update signals growing airline participation. Apple says nine other carriers—including Delta, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia—will follow suit.
Additionally, new shortcut buttons located beneath the boarding pass now link directly to Apple Maps for terminal navigation and to the Find My app for luggage tracking. The Wallet app also automatically refreshes flight data such as gate assignments and departure times.

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MacDailyNews Take: To use your boarding pass in Apple Wallet, you need an iPhone or an Apple Watch with the latest version of iOS or watchOS and Face ID or Touch ID active.
Add a boarding pass to Apple Wallet

Open the app, email, or other communication that contains your boarding pass.
Tap Add to Apple Wallet.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
If necessary, tap Add in the upper right corner.

When you add a boarding pass to the Wallet app on your iPhone, you automatically add it to the Wallet app on your paired Apple Watch.
If you don’t see an option to add your boarding pass to the Wallet app, contact your airline to make sure they support boarding passes in the Wallet app.
Use a boarding pass on your iPhone

On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.

If prompted, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
Double-click the side button (iPhone with Face ID) or double-click the Home button (iPhone with Touch ID).

Tap your boarding pass.

Scan your boarding pass or present it to the attendant.

To use a boarding pass on your Apple Watch, open the boarding pass and scan or tap the display of your Apple Watch, or present it to the attendant. You might need to unlock your device to show your boarding pass before scanning or tapping it.
Share your boarding pass and Live Activity in Apple Wallet
With eligible boarding passes you’ve added to Apple Wallet, you can share Live Activity and your flight status with other iPhone users.
Share Live Activity from your boarding pass

On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
Tap the boarding pass that you want to share.
Tap Share Flight Tracker and choose which recipient you’d like to share your boarding pass Live Activity with via Messages.
The recipient can then tap Follow through the shared Live Activity and begin receiving real-time updates about your flight status.

To use the Live Activity feature, you and your boarding pass recipient must have an iPhone with the latest version of iOS installed.
Share a boarding pass with nearby iPhone users

On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
Tap the boarding pass that you want to share. Then hold your iPhone a few centimeters from the top of the other person’s iPhone. A glow will appear on both iPhones that indicates a connection is being made.
Hold the devices near each other until the boarding pass appears, then tap Share.

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