Electronic boarding passes don’t always show the latest flight updates. But this simple travel hack, approved by airline employees, solves that problem—and it uses an app everyone already has on their phone. It’s just one of the clever tricks social media users are sharing to make air travel smoother.
Right now, a time-saving travel tip is blowing up online.
If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ve probably dealt with the annoyance of checking your boarding pass—whether it’s paper or digital—only to find the gate or departure time is wrong. Luckily, a viral TikTok post reveals an easy fix to make sure you always have the most current info at your fingertips.
In a TikTok video with over 2 million views, travelers are told to text themselves their flight number on the morning of their trip. This creates a clickable link that, when opened, shows real-time updates like the flight route, incoming aircraft, gate number, baggage claim details, and more.
“My top flight hack, besides getting TSA PreCheck,” said social media influencer Darby in her December 2024 video. (The post was shared by a creator who goes by @durbinmalonster—or just Darby. As a former airline employee, she shares insider travel tips from her time in the industry.)
For the link to work, the flight number has to be typed in a specific way. For instance:
- American Airlines flights start with AA
- United Airlines uses UA
- Delta flights begin with DL
Some airlines have less obvious codes, like Southwest, which uses WN.
So, if your flight number is 35, you’d text AA35 or DL35, depending on the airline. This trick keeps your flight details accurate without needing to refresh the airline’s app.
In her demo, Darby uses Apple’s iMessage, which turns the flight number into a handy info card. She also shares the link with family and friends so they can track her flight in real time when picking her up.
One TikTok user commented, “I had NO idea this existed!” Another wrote, “Seriously the best hack ever.”
Travelers keep coming up with smart ways to save time and improve their flying experience. For example, another viral hack involves using the airplane sickness bag as a phone holder for easier in-flight entertainment.