International travel just got a little easier for American Airlines customers

American Airlines launched a new app feature Wednesday that could make international flights a lot easier.

Passengers can now scan their passports directly in the airline’s mobile app.

That means customers who check in through the app can head straight to the gate for international flights, without having a customer service agent check their passport.

Before the app update, customers who had the app still had to have their passports rechecked at the airport, American Airlines said in a statement.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport, an American Airlines hub, saw 3.2 million international passengers in 2018, according to the airport. American Airlines is the dominant carrier at CLT.

American offers service to 26 international destinations out of Charlotte, from Munich to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and another 13 international seasonal destinations Those season stops include such sites as St, Thomas, Rome and Paris.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 1:00 PM.

Hannah Smoot

The Charlotte Observer

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Hannah Smoot covers business in Charlotte, focusing on health care and transportation. She has been covering COVID-19 in North Carolina since March 2020. She previously covered money and power at The Rock Hill Herald in South Carolina and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.