British Airways has started rolling out a redesigned version of its mobile app, aiming to simplify every stage of the passenger journey. The launch marks the first phase of a broader rollout, with additional features expected in the coming months. According to the airline, the app has been developed following months of testing with a large beta community, whose feedback helped shape the final product. The redesign is part of British Airways’ wider £7 billion (€8.1 billion) transformation programme, which includes investments in technology, airport lounges and onboard services.
The new app comes with a refreshed design that mirrors the look of the airline’s updated website and is intended to offer a simpler and more intuitive user experience. One of its main additions is a new “day of travel” home screen, which displays the most relevant travel information depending on where passengers are in their journey. Users can also access digital boarding passes more quickly and save them to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, allowing them to remain available even without an internet connection. The app also introduces passport scanning, biometric profile management and push notifications that provide reminders and travel updates before and during a trip.
Passengers travelling through London Heathrow and London Gatwick can receive live operational updates directly in the app, helping them stay informed about their journey. British Airways has also added interactive terminal maps to make it easier to find gates, facilities and other airport services. Customers departing from Heathrow Terminal 5 can even view lounge occupancy information before entering the lounge, giving them an idea of how busy it is. The airline says these features are designed to reduce uncertainty and improve the airport experience.
Members of the British Airways Club will find several new loyalty features integrated into the app. They can track their Avios, which are the airline’s reward points that can be exchanged for flights and other travel benefits, as well as monitor their Tier Point balance and membership status. The app also allows members to view account statements, manage personal details, store passport information for future trips and access saved travel companions. Available vouchers can also be viewed directly in the application, making it easier for frequent travellers to manage their accounts in one place.
Although the redesigned app introduces several new tools, some functions are still under development. Customers are not yet able to redeem Reward Flights or use vouchers directly through the app, and these services remain available only through the British Airways website. The airline says these functions are already being developed alongside expanded self-service options, greater personalisation and real-time baggage tracking. Once introduced, baggage tracking will allow passengers to monitor the location of their checked luggage throughout their journey, a feature that has become increasingly common among major international airlines.
British Airways is not the only airline expanding its digital offering. Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic introduced a completely rebuilt mobile app featuring a redesigned interface, improved navigation, integrated artificial intelligence tools and meal pre-ordering. The airline also became the first carrier to integrate its app with ChatGPT, allowing travellers to search for flights using natural language instead of selecting destinations, dates and filters manually. Other major airlines, including United Airlines and Lufthansa, already offer features such as real-time baggage tracking, digital travel assistants and disruption management through their mobile applications, showing how quickly passenger expectations have evolved in recent years.
The new app also represents another milestone in British Airways’ broader transformation programme. Over the past two years, the airline has opened new lounges in Miami and Dubai, renovated existing lounges in destinations including Singapore, Lagos and Seattle, and introduced new cabin interiors on selected aircraft. British Airways has also become the first UK airline to announce the rollout of free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi across both its short- and long-haul fleet. While the redesigned app is still missing some features already available from competitors, the airline says its new digital platform will allow future updates to be introduced more quickly as the rollout continues across iOS and Android devices over the coming months.
