United Airlines experienced a technology outage on the morning of July 25, 2026, that disrupted contact centers and check-in systems. This outage prevented the processing of tickets and check-ins for multiple flights across the United States, leading to delays.
Impacted Airports and Passenger Experience
The outage affected operations at key airports such as Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Passengers reported difficulties with check-in, boarding, and baggage processing. Over 430 reports of issues were recorded through Down Detector by 8:23 a.m., with problems initially reported before 7:40 a.m.
United Airlines Response and Resolution
A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed the technology failure involved
the airline’s reservation system. They stated, “Our teams are getting our operations back to normal after a technology outage affected contact centers and check-in processes earlier today.” The spokesperson also advised customers to check their flight status using the United app. Flights that had already departed the gate or were airborne were not impacted. By later in the day, the issue was resolved and operations were returning to normal.
Previous Disruptions Linked to Technology
This outage follows a similar disruption experienced by United Airlines two years earlier, caused by a CrowdStrike update. That incident led to thousands of flight cancellations after communication difficulties arose between
pilots and ground services.
