What Airlines' Push to Check-In Apps Means for You

On June 24, 2026, Google announced that Google Wallet is the first digital wallet to partner with TSA on PreCheck Touchless ID, which lets eligible travelers pass the checkpoint with a face scan instead of showing a physical ID or boarding pass. Airlines have their own reasons to want you inside their app: agent time costs them money, and the app is a direct place to sell extras, though that second motive is an inference. For you, the practical effect is that skipping self-service check-in (app or website) can cost money at some carriers, while the app itself can speed up security and rebooking.

Key takeaways

Frontier's Airport Agent Assistance Charge is up to $25 per passenger, per direction, and is non-refundable; checking in on the website or app and bringing a printed or digital boarding pass avoids it.
TSA says digital IDs work at more than 250 airports, but you must still carry an acceptable physical ID, and you can decline the facial comparison.
Delta and United offer self-service rebooking in their apps, and also on their websites (Delta at kiosks too), each with conditions.
At US airports with 10,000 or more annual enplanements, at least 25 percent of the kiosks an airline owns, leases or controls at each location must be accessible, and passengers with disabilities can ask for equivalent service, so a disability does not have to mean using an app.

What it means for you

People without a smartphone: Frontier accepts a printed boarding pass after website check-in, so the app is not the only way to avoid its charge.
Low-cost carrier flyers and families: Frontier's fee is per passenger, per direction, so it multiplies, though some family situations are exempt; see the worked example.
Travelers with disabilities: Frontier lists a disability exemption, and federal kiosk and website rules apply; see the accessibility section.
Disrupted flyers and privacy-minded travelers: see the rebooking section for what the Delta and United tools do, and the ID section for opting out of TSA's photo.

Why airlines favor the app

Cost: self-service replaces agent time

Frontier describes airport agent help for things like checking in and printing a boarding pass as an optional service that is "available for purchase." Frontier does not state its motive, but the likely effect of pricing that help separately is to move routine tasks to self-service. None of the pages reviewed gave a per-passenger savings figure.

Direct relationship with the customer

IATA's 2025 Global Passenger Survey, released November 5, 2025, drew over 10,000 responses from more than 200 countries. It found that 54% of travelers want to deal directly with airlines and increasingly do so through mobile apps. Airline websites were the preferred booking channel at 31% (down from 37% in 2024) and web apps at 19% (up from 16%). The release gave no mobile check-in percentage.

Upsells and loyalty data (inference)

An app that knows your reservation and loyalty status can show offers when you are deciding. Delta lists upgrade and standby status among the things its Fly Delta app shows. No source reviewed quantifies upsell revenue, so this is likely logic, not a measured effect.

When skipping self-service costs

Frontier's optional services page lists an Airport Agent Assistance Charge of up to $25 per passenger, per direction, both pre-paid and standard, and says it is non-refundable. The same page lists the ways to avoid it: check in on the website or mobile app, bring a boarding pass (printed or digital), pre-purchase all products, and tag your own bag.

The assistance page lists exemptions, including passengers with a disability, active-duty US military with a valid Common Access Card, travelers checking special items such as wheelchairs, baby items or firearms, and customers adding a lap infant, buying an extra seat or adding a pet in the cabin. Neither Frontier page states an effective date, so confirm the charge before you fly; other airlines set their own rules.

Illustrative example: a family of four, round trip

Assume four passengers on one booking, one outbound and one return flight, and that every passenger needed agent help in both directions at the maximum.

fee = passengers x directions x charge
    = 4 x 2 x $25
    = $200 (maximum)

Here "charge" is the "up to $25" figure, so $200 is the ceiling for a round trip ($100 one way), not a typical bill, and it assumes no one qualifies for an exemption. Checking everyone in on the app or website before leaving home avoids it, and a counter visit for an exempt reason, such as checking a car seat or other baby item, is not supposed to trigger it.

Digital ID and boarding passes

As of October 2026, TSA's Digital ID page says travelers can use a digital ID at more than 250 airports with Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet or a state app. All passengers must still carry an acceptable physical ID. With a digital ID, TSA compares your photo to the ID; you can decline by telling the officer before presenting it, without losing your place in line. TSA says the photo and data are deleted after verification and not used for law enforcement or surveillance.

TSA's participating states list covered 21 states and Puerto Rico when checked in October 2026, with support varying by wallet (Hawaii and Illinois, for example, were listed for Apple Wallet only). Mobile driver's licenses must be based on a REAL ID-compliant license or card or an Enhanced Driver's License or ID. The same page lists passport-based options, including Apple Wallet's Digital ID and Google Wallet's ID Pass, for US passport holders on domestic flights, which helps if your state is not listed.

Touchless ID is narrower. Per TSA's Touchless ID page, you need TSA PreCheck, a valid passport, and either a profile at a participating airline or a Google Wallet ID pass. It was available at 65 airports as of October 2026. The participating airlines listed are American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest and United. The Touchless ID indicator must appear on your mobile boarding pass, so here the phone is required, and you must still carry a REAL ID-compliant ID in case an officer asks. The Google announcement says the Wallet integration was rolling out over the weeks after June 24, 2026.

Rebooking after a disruption

Delta's rebooking page says you can rebook through the Fly Delta app, My Trips on delta.com or an airport kiosk, as many times as needed. It applies when the flight is delayed more than 30 minutes, or canceled and issued by Delta, a joint venture partner, SkyTeam or a codeshare partner (or ticketed by another carrier with a Delta agreement). Exclusions are in the FAQ; the page does not mention fare differences.

United's 2023 announcement describes a tool that appears when a flight is delayed more than an hour or canceled. It shows whether you were rebooked, lets you book another flight and offers hotel, meal and rideshare vouchers if you are eligible; the same tool works on united.com. Confirm current details with United.

Question	Delta (page opened)	United (2023 release)
Trigger	Delay over 30 minutes or cancellation	Delay over 1 hour or cancellation
App needed?	No: app, delta.com or kiosk	No: app or united.com
Other options	Airport kiosk; agent help not covered on the page	Agents by phone, text, video or at the airport

Accessibility and privacy

Under 14 CFR 382.57, at US airports with 10,000 or more enplanements a year, at least 25 percent of an airline's kiosks at each location had to be accessible by December 12, 2022. Accessible kiosks must offer the same functions as the others, passengers with disabilities who ask get priority access, and carriers must provide equivalent service on request to those who cannot readily use kiosks. The rule covers kiosks the airline owns, leases or controls.

A companion rule, 14 CFR 382.43, covers airline websites rather than apps: carriers flying aircraft with more than 60 seats must make their primary websites meet the WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standard. For passengers who cannot use the site because of a disability, they must disclose web-only discount fares and waive fees for booking by phone or other means, unless online buyers of the same fare pay that fee too.

On privacy, IATA's survey reported that 42% of passengers currently unwilling to share biometric data would reconsider if data privacy were assured. Before agreeing, read what the app asks to access and what the airline's privacy notice says.

Frequently asked questions

Is a mobile ID on a phone enough to fly?

No. TSA requires every passenger to carry an acceptable physical ID as well, and accepts mobile driver's licenses only from states approved for federal use.

What happens to a traveler with no acceptable ID at all?

Starting February 1, 2026, according to TSA's identification page, a traveler without acceptable ID can pay $45 through Pay.gov for TSA ConfirmID. TSA then tries to verify identity, with no guarantee of success, and the fee covers 10 days from the travel date on the receipt. TSA warns that without acceptable ID and without ConfirmID you may not be allowed through security. A mobile ID alone does not count, because TSA still requires the physical ID.

How long does TSA keep Touchless ID photos?

TSA's Touchless ID page says photos and data are deleted within 24 hours of your scheduled departure time. If the camera finds no match, the officer switches to standard identity checks.

Does the Delta rebooking tool work for every ticket?

No. Delta lists exclusions for unaccompanied minor, group and cruise itineraries, for departures from Amsterdam-Schiphol and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and for standby requests. Flights departing within 30 minutes (domestic) or 60 minutes (international) are not shown because of the check-in window.

Does the Frontier charge apply to passengers with a disability?

No, for disability-related help. Frontier's assistance page exempts help with self-service steps a passenger cannot perform because of a disability, plus wheelchair service, service animals and hearing or vision impairment.

Before your next flight

Check in on the airline's website or app before leaving home, and save or print the boarding pass; at Frontier that avoids the assistance charge.
Read the fee page of the carrier you booked; fees and exemptions change.
If you plan to use a mobile ID, confirm your state and wallet on TSA's list, and carry your physical ID anyway.
If you have TSA PreCheck and a passport, check whether your airline and airport support Touchless ID.
Sign in to your airline's app before the trip, so rebooking options are close at hand if the flight is disrupted.
Travelers who need help because of a disability can ask for an accessible kiosk or equivalent service, mention Frontier's fee exemption, and ask for any web-only fare when booking by phone.