The pilot covers select flights using up to nine Terminal C gates, with a Houston expansion and direct-to-gate delivery options planned later in 2026.
United is testing advance ordering for food, drinks and travel essentials through its app for pickup at select Terminal C gates at Newark Liberty International Airport.
- United is testing advance ordering for food, drinks and travel essentials on select flights using up to nine designated gates in Newark Terminal C.
- Eligible customers receive a United app push notification or email and collect their order from a designated pickup shelf near the gate.
- OTG is supporting preparation and delivery from participating Terminal C restaurants including Nonna's Kitchen and Victory Grill.
- United plans to expand the pilot to Houston later in 2026 and will use customer feedback to assess possible rollout to other airports.
(NEWS) NEWARK, New Jersey, United States, 2026-Sep-02 — /Travel PR News/ — United Airlines is testing a new airport ordering service at Newark Liberty International Airport that moves food, drinks and everyday travel essentials closer to the boarding gate, targeting one of the most time-sensitive parts of a passenger’s journey.
The pilot allows eligible customers on select departures from, or connections through, up to nine designated gates in Terminal C to order in advance through the United website and digital ecosystem, with the transaction initiated through the United app. Customers receive a pre-departure push notification or email and can choose from sandwiches, salads, drinks, children’s meals, chips, candy and other snacks, as well as selected over-the-counter medicines, travel pillows and charging cords.
Orders are placed on a designated pickup shelf near the gate, giving travellers the option to eat before boarding or take their purchases onboard. The service is being tested around gates C125-C138, although United says availability is limited to selected flights and up to nine designated gates rather than every gate in that range. The area handles domestic and international departures on both narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
Newark gives United a high-volume test environment
United says Newark was chosen because of the pressure connecting customers can face between arrival and boarding. David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer, said the airline is looking for points in the journey where digital tools can remove friction, adding that the period immediately before boarding is one in which travellers often want fast access to food without leaving the gate area for long.
The scale of Terminal C makes that challenge particularly relevant. Newark Liberty’s official Terminal C guide describes the facility as United’s principal Newark terminal, with more than 350 daily flights to over 160 domestic and international destinations and more than 50 dining options. Walking times from security to gates C125-C139 are listed at roughly seven to ten minutes, underscoring why passengers with short connections may value a pickup point close to boarding.
For the Newark test, United is working with airport hospitality operator OTG, which is supporting preparation and delivery from participating restaurants including Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill. The model keeps the ordering process inside United’s digital journey while relying on existing airport food operators to fulfil the purchases.
Houston is next, with broader delivery options planned
United plans to extend the pilot to Houston later in 2026, where it says customers will have a broader selection involving popular national restaurant brands and more ways to receive their purchases, including direct delivery to the gate. Feedback collected during the tests will be used to gauge demand and shape any expansion to additional airports.
The airline has also said that, if the concept expands, ordering could eventually be integrated into seatback inflight entertainment screens. That would extend the service beyond the mobile app and create another point at which passengers could arrange food before arriving at a connection or departure gate.
The experiment fits into United’s wider push toward self-service and day-of-travel digital tools. The airline’s United app already supports check-in, trip management and travel-day information, while the carrier has recently added features including a TSA wait-time tracker. United is also continuing its Starlink Wi-Fi rollout and investment in seatback entertainment as part of its broader customer-experience programme.
United’s official pilot announcement makes clear that the Newark service remains a test rather than a network-wide benefit. Its eventual reach will depend on customer response and the operational lessons United and its airport partners draw from Newark and the planned Houston expansion.
