A Network That Fuels Growth

With 24 commercial airports and 38 active airlines, Nigeria’s aviation sector is expanding its reach and influence. Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt have emerged as major international gateways, linking Nigeria to cities across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

This network is not only about convenience for travelers, it is the backbone of economic growth. Direct air connections bring investment, enable trade, and attract tourism.

“Every new international route opened into Nigeria translates to new opportunities for business, education, and cultural exchange,” the report highlighted.

Africa’s Hub-in-Waiting

Nigeria’s geographic position, population size, and economic weight make it a natural candidate to become West Africa’s aviation hub.

Yet, industry stakeholders argue that this potential remains largely untapped. Competing hubs like Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Johannesburg currently dominate continental traffic.

With stronger policies on safety, competitive regulation, and infrastructure upgrades, Nigeria could capture more transit passengers and cargo traffic, reinforcing its hub status.

The Bigger Picture: Global Integration

Connectivity is about more than air routes, it is about integration into the global economy. Nigeria’s links to 34 international airports across 38 countries give businesses quicker access to partners, markets, and investors. For students and families, it means easier mobility for education, migration, and cultural exchange.

As one industry analyst put it: “Nigeria is sitting at a crossroads. It can either remain a passenger in global aviation or take the controls and lead as Africa’s next major hub.”

Looking Ahead

With global travel demand rebounding and Africa projected to be one of the fastest-growing aviation markets, Nigeria’s connectivity is a strategic advantage. If fully harnessed, it could transform the country into a central player in global aviation, and by extension, the global economy.

• New features are exclusive to United app and include personalized, turn-by-turn directions to connecting gates with estimated walk times, real-time flight status updates, tips for longer layovers, and a heads up if United is able to hold the plane for those with an extra-tight connection
• Features are an extension of airline’s ConnectionSaver back-end technology and provide customers full visibility into connecting flight status
• During spring beta test phase, more than 350,000 customers used new features, achieving a 98% success rate in making their connection
• More than 20 million United customers have already booked connecting flights this summer

United is ready for peak summer travel season with the official launch of new, personalized mobile app features that make catching connecting flights easier.

Customers with connecting flights at United’s U.S. hub airports can now access a special section of the app that includes a countdown to connecting flights, customized turn-by-turn directions to their connecting gate with estimated walk times, real-time flight status updates, tips for longer layovers, and notifications if United’s ConnectionSaver technology has been activated to hold the plane for them.

These features are exclusive to the United mobile app and expand on the airline’s ConnectionSaver technology – an industry-leading, AI-powered tool that has saved more than 3.3 million customer connections since launching in 2019.

ConnectionSaver automatically identifies departing flights that can be held for connecting customers – without delaying the on-time arrival of the customers who have already boarded. Now, customers have full visibility into their connecting flights right on their phone screens.

United trialed these app features during a beta test period this spring, and during that time, more than 350,000 customers used the new features, achieving a 98% success rate making their connection.

“We know that giving people more information, in a transparent and easy-to-understand way, can help de-stress the connecting flight experience,” said David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer. “Our award-winning mobile app is a game-changer during travel, and with these new features, our customers will have even more real-time details about their flight and as a result, have an even better experience flying United.”

More than 20 million United customers have already booked connecting flights this summer.

The new features are much more customer-facing and specify personalized details based on connection type, including:

• Comfortable Connections: Travelers with comfortable connections are provided personalized status updates to make their connecting flights, including countdown to boarding, gate-to-gate directions and personalized tips to navigate large airports or long layovers such as United Club location details.
• Tight Connections: For travelers pressed on time during a connection, the suite of features provides key information to help them navigate to their connecting flight, including boarding time, walking time, gate number and more. Plus, they will get app notifications if their next flight is being held for them with ConnectionSaver, offering more transparency and peace of mind during their travel journey.
• Missed Connections: If travel doesn’t go as planned, customers automatically receive personalized re-booking options to get them back on their way, giving them options to rebook on a confirmed flight or join the standby list for earlier flights if a seat becomes available.

United will continue to evolve and advance these features to bring even more functionality to customers, including:

• Additional Languages: These features are currently available in English and Spanish, and the airline plans to launch additional languages in the future.
• Expanded Navigation Support: Customers will soon be able to enable location services to show their current location at the airport and provide even more detailed, step-by-step directions, making it even easier to navigate through airports.
• Text Message Updates: United currently notifies customers who opt-in to receive text messages about flight delays and updates customers with connecting flights only if they have a tight connection. In the months ahead, United will deploy text messages to update customers with connecting flights in real time about their connecting flight status and relevant details to make their flights. These more personalized text message updates will provide additional transparency into customer travel plans, reassuring them if they have a comfortable connection or providing tips to navigate a tight or missed connection.

United continues to lead the airline industry on implementing new technologies to improve the customer experience, including:

• Automatic rebooking assistance: Rather than standing in line to speak with an agent or manually searching for alternatives, United’s self-service tools automatically provide travelers with personalized rebooking options, baggage tracking details, and, when eligible, meal and hotel vouchers if their flight is delayed or canceled.
• Real-time weather delay updates: United texts real-time radar maps to help customers understand how inclement weather in one part of the country can impact a flight elsewhere. United is the first and only U.S. airline currently providing its customers these kinds of specific messages, and the airline is sending them with assistance from gen AI tools.
• Industry-leading connectivity in the sky: United started rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi service, the world’s fastest, most reliable connectivity in the sky, for free to MileagePlus members, and it includes game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming and more. United two-cabin regional aircraft will be outfitted with Starlink by end of year, and the first United mainline aircraft will be outfitted with Starlink by end of year.
• Bag tracking enhancements: United integrated Apple’s Share Item Location for AirTag, so customers everywhere who travel with an AirTag or Find My network accessory can seamlessly share the accessory location with United’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event that it is mishandled.