United Airlines is testing a new service at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that allows passengers to order food, drinks, and travel essentials through the United app and collect them at their gate. The pilot is available on select flights departing from or connecting through up to nine designated gates in Terminal C, giving passengers the option to pick up orders before boarding and take them onto the aircraft.
United Launches Gate Pickup Pilot at Newark
Under the pilot program, eligible passengers receive a notification through the United app or by email before departure. They can choose from items including sandwiches, salads, drinks, kids’ meals, chips and candy, as well as selected travel essentials such as over-the-counter medicine, travel pillows, and charging cords.
Orders are prepared through participating airport restaurants and placed on a designated pickup shelf near the passenger’s gate. United is working with OTG on the Newark pilot, with participating restaurants including Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill. The service currently covers select flights using gates in the C125-C138 area of Terminal C. The gates handle both domestic and international departures, including narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
“We focus on where the travel experience can be simpler for customers and innovating to remove friction along the way,” said David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer. “The time right before boarding is one of those moments when customers want quick, easy access to food without added complexity.”
Houston Expansion Planned Later This Year
United selected Newark for the initial test because of the large number of passengers connecting through the airport.
“Newark is a high-volume connecting hub where customers often have limited time between arriving at the gate and boarding, making it an ideal place to pilot this type of service,” Kinzelman said.
The airline plans to expand the pilot to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston later this year. United said customer feedback from the pilot will help determine whether the service is expanded to additional airports. United is also evaluating further ways to integrate food ordering into its passenger technology. That could include potential ordering through seatback entertainment systems as the program develops.
United has not announced a timeline for a wider rollout beyond the planned Houston expansion. The airline said the Newark and Houston pilots will provide an opportunity to evaluate the service at two of its major U.S. hubs before any decision is made about expanding it to other airports.
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