I think it's evolving. For me it definitely used to be that way. I am a semi frequent Delta flyer and in the last year or so their app has become so reliable an

I think it's evolving. For me it definitely used to be that way. I am a semi frequent Delta flyer and in the last year or so their app has become so reliable and useful that the only reason I need the airport monitors is that it is often a second or two faster to just look up at a big display rather that going through the clicks and swipes to get to the data in my hand. A big improvement has been wifi availability and stability on the plane. Not so much because I can browse the web in flight, but because regardless of whether I get in flight wifi, the airline's app uses it for free. So now that wifi is reliably always there, I know what's up and where I'm going before I walk off the plane.