Do I need a paper ticket to board a plane?

Boarding passes are always required to board a flight. Often, airlines accept either paper or electronic boarding passes (on phone or tablet).



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Although not every airline worldwide is subject to IATA's rules, the vast majority are, and paper tickets are now virtually obsolete. The airline industry estimates that it will reduce costs by three billion U.S. dollars worldwide by eliminating paper tickets.

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A boarding pass will get you through the security lines, to the gate area, and onto your plane. An e-ticket won't, and is little more than a receipt. In many cases you don't even need the e-ticket to get checked-in and govt-issued ID will suffice.

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You might show the ticket for your flight if the check-in agent can't find the booking record simply with your ID document. But you'll need to show a boarding pass on your phone to pass security and get on to a plane.

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Can I use my air travel e-ticket from my phone without printing a hard copy? Sure, you can! Just make sure you have your ticket information on hand, usually stored in an app or on a phone. It makes the check-in process a lot easier, and you won't be fumbling around with paper tickets.

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No, you don't need a print. Alternatives include showing the boarding pass within the airline's app, an email with the boarding pass, or just the mobile browser open to the e-boarding pass.

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A boarding pass will get you through the security lines, to the gate area, and onto your plane. An e-ticket won't, and is little more than a receipt. In many cases you don't even need the e-ticket to get checked-in and govt-issued ID will suffice.

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The difference between an electronic ticket and a boarding pass. Simply put, the difference between an electronic ticket and a boarding pass is that the electronic ticket is a confirmation that you have completed your purchase, and boarding pass is a document that allows you to board on the plane.

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Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.
  • Driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) ...
  • U.S. passport.
  • U.S. passport card.
  • DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)


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Printing your boarding pass is doubly important if you're traveling with your family. Every person needs to be accounted for with a ticket in hand at security and at the boarding gate, and that's just easier done with a piece of paper than on an app.

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If no self-service station is available, the regular check-in desk personnel will reprint it for you. Some airlines in some locations allow using mobile boarding pass through their smartphone app, if this is the case for your airline and airport - then you don't even need to reprint anything at all.

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I prefer paper boarding passes because it's easier and has fewer hassles, says Sue Fogwell, a former flight attendant with 22 years of experience. I don't always like to rely on my iPhone. On too many occasions, my battery is running dangerously low, or the gate is in a dead zone and I lose my signal.

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At the gate, e-ticket passengers need only show a valid photo identification card such as a driver's license to claim their spot on the aircraft. Once the airline confirms the traveler's information, it issues a boarding pass that the traveler uses to board the plane.

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What Happens at Check-In. After arriving at the airport, go to the check-in desk and show the agent your passport and eTicket. They'll compare your ticket against the airline's database and issue you a printed boarding pass when everything checks out. This boarding pass is what enables you to get on the plane.

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A mobile pass works just fine. No, you can use the electronic one on your phone instead. You have to some some kind of boarding pass, but it doesn't have to be the printed kind. In the US, you need it to clear security and to board the aircraft.

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You can use your mobile boarding pass at most airports.

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Paper tickets are so named because the flight coupons (the pieces of paper that contain the exact flight information and are labeled as flight coupons) are in paper form. With an electronic ticket, this information is held within the airline's reservation system and is indicated as electronic tickets when you check in.

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After purchasing your ticket online, download the file and print your ticket. Passengers can find their e-ticket files in the email sent to them. For domestic flights, passengers do not have to show their e-tickets at the security checkpoints.

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