At airports, I’ve always waited in line to get a printed boarding pass. Time for a change I guess.

Apparently I can check online and print my boarding pass as a pdf at home or even download the airline’s app and get a qr code to print the boarding pass at a kiosk inside the airport. Do I need an active internet connection at the airport to use the kiosk? I wont have internet there.

My airline explains they can send a pdf copy of the boarding pass to my email address. Is it really not a problem to print my boarding pass on regular office paper and not on cardboard airlines use?

If I download the airline’s app to get the qr code to print the boarding card at the kiosk, will the airline spam me with ads I don’t want?

Can I both print the boarding pass at home AND get the qr code to print the boarding pass at the kiosk?

Apparently there is something called ‘receive boarding pass by sms’. How does this work?

  • _edge
    2·
    9 months ago

    Short version: Follow the instructions you received, it will work.

    Long version:

    • Printed PDF on regular paper will always work. Just make sure that the 2D barcode (usually rectangular) gets printed. (Some countries may have other codes for domestic flights.)
    • Mobile boarding pass with 2D barcode (usual square) also works on (practically all) airline/airports. (You don’t need an internet connection, but if you receive this via email make sure it’s available offline. If it’s an airline app, make a screenshot. If it’s Apple/Google Wallet or Passbook, don’t worry.)
    • As you noticed above, the print and mobile versions look different. Both will work.
    • Most airlines have kiosks where you can get a printed boarding pass whether you checked-in online or not. This is your back-up option if your phone’s battery is about to die, the mobile boarding pass does not work, or there was an operational change that requires a new boarding pass.
    • Tiny airports that don’t work with mobile boarding passes will have staff to print the boarding pass for you.
    • If you are checking in luggage with a human agent, you will probably get a printed boarding pass.

    If I download the airline’s app to […], will the airline spam me with ads I don’t want?

    Probably yes. Or the app just refuses to work. Airline apps deserve the bad app store rating.

    Can I both print the boarding pass at home AND get the qr code to print the boarding pass at the kiosk?

    With sane airlines, yes. Standard protocol is to use the last boarding pass generated. So, if for any reason, you get a new boarding pass at the airport, you will use this, not the one printed at home or on your phone. Some airlines will not accept the old barcode or it confuses their system.

    Apparently there is something called ‘receive boarding pass by sms’. How does this work?

    Old system. They will send you an MMS message or a link. If you don’t have internet at the airport, you must download the link before you get there.

    Another short version: Always have three things with you:

    • The booking reference, usually 6 characters
    • a valid ID
    • whatever you received from the airline during booking or check-in

    Booking reference and last name are the magic code that will get you a boarding pass most anywhere.