United Helps Customers Navigate Travel Restrictions with New Online, Interactive Map

Simple, color-coded guide and filter options let travelers know if local restaurants and tourist attractions are open, whether mask or social distancing measures are enforced, if self-quarantining is required and more

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United Airlines

Sep 03, 2020, 10:11 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today introduces a new interactive map tool on united.com and the United mobile app that allows customers to filter and view destinations' COVID-19 related travel restrictions. The Destination Travel Guide, a first among U.S. airlines, provides an interactive, color coded map to highlight if a destination is closed, partially open or fully open for travel, and will also note if any tests or self-quarantining is required for travel. Customers can easily filter destinations to view local regulations, such as social distancing and mask enforcement, as well as to see if hotels, restaurants and other leisure outlets are open to the public.

"We know it's a challenge to keep up with the ever-changing list of travel restrictions, policies and regulations so we are offering a simple, easy tool that helps customers decide where to travel next," said Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President for Technology and Chief Digital Officer. "By providing the most up-to-date information on the destinations we serve, customers can compare and shop for travel with greater confidence and help them find the destinations that best fit their preferences."

The Destination Travel Guide currently highlights travel restrictions and leisure offerings in the U.S. by state, and will expand to include all international destinations the airline serves in the coming weeks. Customers viewing the color-coded map can click on each state to view local regulations and travel guidances. There is also the option to filter the map by state to view specific information on each destination, including:

Medical certificate needed (such as negative COVID test)
Non-essential shops open
Tourism accommodation open
Restaurants open
Bars and cafes open
Museum and heritage sites open
Mask in public required
Physical distancing required

The new map feature follows several recent innovations from United that were designed to enhance the travel experience. As part of its United CleanPlus program, the airline recently introduced touchless check-in, text alerts for passengers on standby and upgrade lists to reduce person-to-person interaction, and a new chat function to give customers a contactless option to receive immediate access to information about cleaning and safety procedures.

Committed to Ensuring a Safe Journey
Through the United CleanPlus program, the airline is committed to putting health and safety at the forefront of every customer's journey, with the goal of delivering an industry-leading standard of cleanliness. United has teamed up with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic to redefine cleaning and health safety procedures from check-in to landing and has implemented more than a dozen new policies, protocols and innovations designed with the safety of customers and employees in mind, including:

Requiring all travelers – including crew members – to wear face coverings and potentially revoking travel privileges for customers who do not follow these requirements, as underscored in a recent video from United CEO Scott Kirby.
Using state-of-the-art high-efficiency (HEPA) filters on most United mainline aircraft to circulate air and remove up to 99.97% of airborne particles.
Using electrostatic spraying before departure for enhanced cabin sanitation.
Adding a step to the check-in process, based on a recommendation from the Cleveland Clinic, requiring customers to acknowledge they do not have symptoms for COVID-19 and agree to follow our policies, including wearing a mask on board.
Offering customers a touchless baggage check-in experience at more than 200 airports across the United States; United is the first U.S. airline to make this technology available.

For more details on all the ways United is helping keep customers safe during their journey, please visit united.com/cleanplus.

About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines