Top 8 Airline Apps Apple Watch

It’s interesting to see which trends are the more noticeable with the launch of a new platform like wearable tech and specifically something big like the Apple Watch, where developers are clambering over one another to get their first and perhaps snag a share of the market. Fitness apps are always going to be synonymous with wearable tech, but there have been one or two surprises since the announce of the Apple Watch. One of those taking off, if you’ll excuse the pun, is the trend that has seen airlines flock to update their own mobile apps for use with the Apple Watch. It’s difficult to know exactly why this is, but I suppose it’s always going to be easier to glance down at your watch when seeking flight info than it is to get out your smartphone and/or tablet to open up the relevant app. With the spirit of the summer holidays firmly in place, we here at Top 8 recently took to the skies and tested some of the big name official airline apps out there to see which ones you can rely on and which ones you might want to avoid.

8. British Airways (Free)

Let’s start with the British Airways app, which might be of interest to our European readers or indeed any Americans that might be travelling to and from the United Kingdom this year. The BA app is nicely decsigned, with a simple green and white on black interface, and useful graphical updates that show you the amount of time left until boarding in a circle rather than just in minutes and seconds. It shows a passenger’s detailed summary including all the info that you’ll need, such as flight number, status, how long until departure, the weather that you can expect to find upon landing, as well as up to the moment checking in and gate notifications. So no longer will you have to sit in front of a big screen with a bunch of other disgruntled holidaymakers: now all of that info is on your wrist! – Download from iTunes

7. EasyJet Mobile (Free)

Another one worth checking out for those Europeans among you is the EasyJet app, which represents the first low cost carrier to actually launch an app for the Apple Watch – at least, this is what they claim! So if you’re the kind of flier who would rather pick low cost airlines such as Ryanair or EasyJet, then this one is worth checking out. You have lots of info at your fingertips such as pre departure times and check in info, as well as some other useful stuff like currency exchange rates and weather at that moment. The flight status is reserved for the Watch’s Glances feature, which means you can see it right away, and the app is even available in a range of languages from launch.- Download from iTunes

6. JetBlue (Free)

The JetBlue iOS app is already very popular among frequenters of the airline, and now it has been updated to support the Apple Watch. This allows users to purchase premium items onboard, gives the users at a glance flight info, a useful countdown to departure and even a smart mobile boarding pass that allows you to check in with ease. The app really does everything you could hope for from a mobile airline app, so is definitely worth checking out if you use the airline often and would rather get all the info direct to your wrist instead of waiting in front of big screens for them to be updated.  – Download from iTunes

5. Fly Delta (Free)

The Delta Airlines app is another one that has been updated to support the Apple Watch, giving users real time updates about their flights well ahead of takeoff. Another key feature of this app is that it will offer fliers the chance to access an electronic boarding pass that can be viewed on the app, which will save you conserving the old paper one and always being worried that you might misplace it before it’s time to depart. There is also a lot of other info that can be accessed with a simple swipe, such as destination and luggage details. – Download from iTunes

4. American Airlines (Free)

While many sites reported on an apparent built in Apple Watch app for flight details before the device was launched, those reports turned out to be wide of the mark – still, that wasn’t such an issue for Apple with big name carriers like American Airlines on board. This app is the only one to make this list that received a huge plug at the Apple keynote when the Watch was first announced, and perhaps this is part of the reason that so many other airlines have jumped on the bandwagon since. As for the app itself, it notifies you when your flight is due for take off, updates you with real time info should anything change, and even lets you check in to a flight from your wrist – perfect for those who would rather avoid the queues. – Download from iTunes

3. The Emirates App (Free)

Emirates continues to go from strength to strength as one of the most powerful airlines in the world, so it makes sense that they would be one of the first to jump on the Apple Watch train. The Apple Watch is not actually available in the United Arab Emirates until later in 2015, but that hasn’t stop Emirates from becoming the first Middle Eastern airline to embrace the new platform and update their own iOS app. This app offers a similar kind of functionality to the others seen so far on this list, offering you at a glance and updated flight info, as well as notifications that might be of importance to you as you’re flying. – Download from iTunes

2. Qantas Airways (Free)

Qantas is primarily an Australian airline so there’s every chance that some American readers may not have even heard of it, but we felt it was worth a mention since the app is designed so well. Qantas explain their design process in a blog post that can be found on their site, and admit to working closely with Apple in order to creat an app that will make your journey as smooth and efficient as possible. You can open up the Qantas Frequent Flyer options with a single swipe, see departure and arrival times even when you’re in the  air, plus info on your baggage once you’ve arrived at your destination. As wearable tech apps go, you’d really want your airline app to be something of a travel companion, and I’d say that’s definitely the case with this one. – Download from iTunes

1. WestJet (Free)

Despite the worrying level of Photoshop skills seen in the above promo image, we’d have to say that the WestJet app is by far the best one we found on the Apple Watch in terms of features and usability. The app is simple enough, allowing you to keep on top of your various flights and details at a glance. It also allows you to access your boarding pass through the Apple Watch and Passbook, which is very useful indeed! – Download from iTunes