Delta Airlines will automatically check-in passengers with its mobile app

Checking in for a flight is going the way of the paper airplane ticket.

An updated version of Delta Air Lines' iOS mobile app now checks travelers in for their flights automatically, a recent change the airline said was in response to customer demand.

This is notable because no other US airline offers this service, and it should hopefully inspire others to follow suit. German airline Lufthansa does automatic check-in, and JetBlue briefly tried a pilot program with select customers of its Even More Space pricing tier back in 2014. But this is the first official automatic check-in service for a US airline that looks like it’s here to stay.

There are some questions, though. What happens if you want to change seats, or you realize you don't need to check bags after all? We've asked Delta for answers, but there is a chance that this could create problems for travelers who need to make last-minute changes. Even so, it's easy to see this feature spreading. This makes traveling a bit less painful if you're just confirming your original flight choices, and airline staff can breathe easier knowing they'll see fewer people scrambling to check in at the airport.