Do you need a printed ticket to board a plane?

Boarding pass At a minimum, it identifies the passenger, the flight number, and the date and scheduled time for departure. 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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Depending on the requirements of airport authorities, you will need to present a mobile boarding pass, a paper boarding pass printed out by you or a paper boarding pass picked up from the check-in desk.

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You can also choose to have a link to your boarding pass emailed to your mobile device. Just display your boarding pass barcode on the screen of your device at the security checkpoint and when boarding your flight, and you're on your way. Check-in is available starting 24 hours before your scheduled departure.

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The e-ticket receipt often looks similar to an old-style paper ticket but doesn't need to be presented at the check-in counter on the day of your flight (although we suggest you have it with you, just in case as it serves as proof that your ticket was issued).

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Yes, simply show your mobile boarding pass on a mobile phone, iPad, or Apple Watch and a valid form of identification to the TSA Agent at security to proceed. To board your flight, scan your mobile boarding pass by holding one of the devices listed above with your pass facing the scanner.

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No one wants to be the person holding up the boarding process because of technical difficulties. We especially recommend printing boarding passes if you're taking connecting flights, as the longer you're in transit, the more likely your phone battery will run low or die completely.

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If you received your physical boarding pass at a kiosk or check-in desk, you will not be able to use a screenshot of the paper pass to get through TSA or the gate. You can always get another pass printed if you lost the original. How common is it to miss a flight even after getting the boarding pass?

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No. A boarding pass is a document (either paper or electronic) that shows a gate agent that you're allowed to board a plane for a particular flight. An e-ticket has a bunch of information that the gate agent doesn't need—including what you paid for the ticket and where you bought it.

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Meanwhile, a paper ticket won't tell you when your flight is canceled. Plus, a poorly printed boarding pass can render your ticket useless at the gate. Hoeller points out that printing a paper ticket and neatly folding it into your passport is much easier than juggling between your personal items and phone.

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“If you ever lose your boarding card, then simply talk to the airline guy or the security officer confidently and ask for his help politely. “It is an obligation for the airline to issue you a new boarding card as long as it wont cause major delay to the flight and you do not have any security issues.”

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Some advantages of flying on an e-ticket If you prefer, 24 hours before your flight, you can check-in online using your confirmation or ticket number from your e-ticket receipt on the airline's official website, and if you choose, print your boarding passes, send scannable copies to your smartphone, or both.

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Technology can be unreliable, and some airports don't allow mobile passes. There are plenty of situations that could arise that might make mobile passes inconvenient. The airport's systems could go down, scanners could break, and Wi-Fi might not be reliable.

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In 2008, IATA announced 100% of ticketing was electronic, which meant that airlines no longer needed to produce physical tickets. Starting in the late 1990s, passengers could check themselves in online and print out a boarding pass at home.

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Pros and cons of mobile + digital event tickets Digital tickets are delivered via email and can be printed out or shown on a device at the event. Mobile tickets are similar to digital tickets, but they're specifically designed to be displayed on a smartphone.

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