Summary
- With iOS 26, Apple Wallet’s boarding pass feature is getting a few upgrades.
- Apple is adding its own Live Activities for boarding passes, and has already partnered with 10 major airlines.
- Finding a map for the airport your going to, and tracking your luggage, will also be made easier through Apple Wallet with iOS 26.
As a regular user of Apple Wallet, one of my favorite features is the ability to store boarding passes. During my travels around the world, the convenience of quickly pulling up my boarding pass by opening Apple Wallet is unmatched, and I don’t miss carrying a paper boarding pass at all.
That’s why, when I heard about the changes Apple is making to Apple Wallet with iOS 26 and boarding passes, I was excited. The boarding pass feature has remained more or less the same on Apple Wallet for a number of years now, but with the release of iOS 26, it’s finally gaining several useful new features that will make navigating the airport and reaching your flight much easier, as well as help track your luggage.
While Google Wallet’s boarding pass implementation is currently quite similar to Apple Wallet’s, with iOS 26, Apple Wallet will certainly have the advantage. Here are three new features Apple Wallet is adding for boarding passes you can expect to see with iOS 26.
1
Live Activities
Quickly glance at the latest updates for your flight
Undoubtedly, the coolest new feature Apple is adding with iOS 26 is Live Activities for boarding passes. While some airlines support Live Activities through their own dedicated apps, with iOS 26, you’ll be able to view them regardless of whether you have the airline’s app.
With the new Live Activities on your lock screen linked to your boarding pass in Apple Wallet, you’ll be able to see details like your flight number, duration, arrival gate, and baggage claim information. So now, you can quickly glance at your lock screen to find all the information you need. I’ve traveled on a few different airlines over the years, each with its own version of Live Activities, and I think Apple’s streamlined approach will be much better. I already see that it provides more information than some airlines do.
So far, 10 airlines have announced support for Apple’s refreshed boarding passes, including Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Jetstar, Lufthansa Group, Qantas, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Australia. Additionally, Apple Wallet will allow you to share your flight tracker with someone else, so if you have a family member or friend waiting for you to land, you can share your flight’s live activity with them.
2
Easier access to airport maps
Find your flight’s gate quicker
While you might be familiar with your local airport, you can’t always say the same for your destination. To help you navigate the travel complexities airports can sometimes present, Apple is adding a new feature directly into the boarding pass in Apple Wallet that lets you quickly open a map of the airport you’re heading to.
So if you need help finding your gate or how to get to security, you can open your boarding pass in Apple Wallet and tap a navigation button that launches Apple Maps with the correct map automatically open — no need to search for it. In the example Apple has shown (as seen in the image above), you can see LAX Terminal 3 and all the gate numbers in the terminal to help you find yours. Apple Maps with airports isn’t new, and many airports around the world already support it, such as London Heathrow, New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Toronto Pearson, and Las Vegas McCarran, so this new Apple Wallet feature will make the map you need quick and easy to access.
3
Find your luggage faster
Check your luggage’s AirTag conveniently
One of the common fears many people have while traveling is losing their luggage. Luckily, since Apple launched its AirTags, tracking important belongings has become much easier. I always carry an AirTag in my backpack and luggage when I travel, and it gives me extra peace of mind in case I lose my luggage or if the airline misplaces it.
With iOS 26, there’s a new feature in Apple Wallet that allows you to conveniently open the Find My app to track your luggage. Below your boarding pass, you’ll now see an option called “Track Luggage,” which will open the AirTag linked to your luggage in the Find My app. So if you want to quickly check where it is, that’s now slightly easier.
iOS 26 is currently in beta, but with Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event scheduled for September 9, it’s likely that the full public release is coming very soon, and you’ll be take advantage of these new Apple Wallet boarding pass features. To find out if your iPhone is eligible for iOS 26, check out our story about downloading the beta here. Stay tuned to Pocket-lint, where we’ll have full coverage of all the exciting developments from Apple’s event on September 9.
