Apple is making a quiet but meaningful change to its Wallet app in iOS 26—one that significantly improves the travel experience for iPhone users.
With the update, boarding passes stored in Wallet now support Live Activities, allowing real-time flight updates to appear directly on the Lock Screen.
This gives you quick access to key information, such as departure times, delays, gate changes, and estimated arrival times, without needing to open an app.
The feature mirrors capabilities long offered by third-party apps like Flighty, but Apple’s native integration eliminates the need for additional downloads or subscriptions.
Once a pass is added, flight data updates automatically in the background using information from the airline.
Beyond Live Activities, Apple has also added contextual intelligence below each boarding pass.
Depending on your location and flight details, Wallet can now surface Apple Maps directions to the appropriate terminal, offer quick access to the Find My app for tracking baggage, and surface other travel-relevant actions.
These updates reflect Apple’s broader goal of deepening Wallet’s utility beyond payments and tickets.
The company has steadily positioned the app as a secure, all-in-one hub for identity, transit, and now, more dynamic travel experiences.
The iOS 26 developer beta, released following WWDC 2025, is available now. A public beta is expected in July, and a general release is later this year.
While the changes may seem incremental, they underscore Apple’s continued focus on making iPhone features feel native, passive, and tightly integrated, especially in areas where third-party apps have filled the gap.
For frequent travelers, the new Wallet experience brings iPhone flight tracking closer to parity with premium app solutions, but it has only now been built into the system.
