Are Airline Tickets and Boarding Passes the Same Thing?

At medium and large airports your ticket and boarding pass are two separate documents obtained by two different methods. They have separate purposes. At some small airports the ticket may act as your boarding pass.

Why do I need a boarding pass to get on the airplane? Isn’t my ticket enough?

You may think that once you buy your airplane flight ticket you can just go to the airport and get right on your plane but that is not always how it works. At major airports AND most airports in developed countries (also referred to as first world countries), a ticket does not give you the right to board the airplane.

You need to be issued a boarding pass in order to access the restricted area of the airport where planes are docked.

The restricted area is accessed by first presenting your boarding pass to security agents who will scan your luggage and your body for any disallowed items before allowing you into the restricted area.

How is a boarding pass different from a ticket?

An airline ticket reserves your place on the airplane. Though it is referred to as a ticket, it can act more like a receipt or reservation. It proves that you paid for your flight and reserves your spot, but does not always give you the right to board the airplane. At very small airports or airports in developing countries a ticket may be all your need to board an airplane, but in major airports you will also need a boarding pass.

A boarding pass gives you the right to get onto (board) the airplane.

How do I know if I need a boarding pass?

You will be told if you need a boarding pass when you check in for your flight. Check-in is a process that every airline requires so they know who and how many people are actually going to be on each flight. After you buy your ticket and before you are allowed to get on the airplane, EVERY airline requires that you follow a check-in process.

What is the check in process and why do airlines and ships have a check in process?

Click here for our blogpost What is the Check In Process? where we answer all your questions about checking in. To save time and possibly money, make sure to read about the check in process BEFORE you get to the airport.

When can I access my boarding pass?

Some airlines and airports release the boarding passes several days ahead of time. Other airlines allow you boarding pass access 24 to 48 hours before the flight leaves. When you pay for your flight you will probably be given this information and may even receive an email or text as soon as you are allowed to check in and download your boarding pass. Check the airlines website for confirmation.

How soon before my flight MUST I have my boarding pass?

Each airline and airport sets their own guidelines. Example, some Middle East airlines require that you check in and have your boarding pass in hand one and a half hours before the plane leaves versus most American airlines which impose a 30 minute window Check your airport and airline website to verify.

Does a boarding pass mean I am checked in?

I can’t speak for every airline in the world but for the most part if you have your boarding pass that means you are checked in.

Does a boarding pass mean my luggage is checked in?

No. A boarding pass does not mean your baggage is checked in. You still must stand in line at the ticket counter and present your baggage to a ticket agent. The agent will tag your luggage and sent it to your airplane. Carry-on luggage does not need to be checked.

Do I need to check in if I have a boarding pass?

Once you have your boarding pass you don’t need to go through another check-in process unless you are still holding luggage that needs to be checked in.

Do I need to print my ticket and boarding pass?

This depends on the technological acuity of the airline. It’s becoming more and more common to download all the information onto your electronic device and let the airport scan the QR code.. 

However, I tried this in Cambodia and when my tablet was scanned it emitted a strange noise and shut down. Since then I have always printed my boarding pass and ticket.

Some airlines only accept printed boarding passes and tickets. The majority of these airlines will print them for you at the airport, but a few of the boutique airlines will charge to print them at the airport if you haven’t printed them at home or at your hotel.

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Can I get a boarding pass without a ticket?

First you purchase a ticket, then you get a boarding pass. No, you can’t get a boarding pass without a ticket. In order to get your boarding pass you must pay for the flight. Generally, we refer to the process of paying for your flight as buying a ticket. You will not be given an actual ticket, just a reservation number.

There may be a situation where you immediately receive a boarding pass without seeing a ticket or confirmation number. This occurs when you pay for your ticket at the airport for a flight that is leaving soon. In this case, the reservation will be listed on your boarding pass.

What happens if I lose my boarding pass?

Airports are accustomed to people losing their boarding passes. What area of the airport do you think is the most common place to lose boarding passes?

The answer is the airport security area. The boarding pass must be shown at security because the boarding pass is your permit  into the restricted areas of the airport. Most people make it to the security line without losing their boarding pass, then they get to the gate and all of a sudden don’t have it.

The reason is that after you show your boarding pass to the security officer, you have to remove all your jackets, shirts , hats, backpacks, shoes,  etc, and place them on a conveyor belt to be scanned.

The boarding pass often gets lost in the shuffle, because people are rushing and they either forget where they stuffed it, or they try to keep  hold of it and instead drop it.

Therefore, check for your boarding pass after you get dressed and before you leave security.

At Dallas-Fort Worth Airport last month, I noticed the person who checks the boarding pass was reminding everyone to put it in a secure place after showing it to her.

This illustrates how common it is for people to lose their boarding passes at security. The other common way to misplace your boarding pass is to shove it in a pocket or one of your carryon bags, forget where you put it, then panic.

I’ve endured dozens of these panic searches.

Finally I bought a travel vest and designated a specific pocket for my ID and boarding pass, which are the two documents needed to board the plane.

I’m clothed in my vest before I leave the house and continue wearing it throughout the flight in case anything weird happens, my ID will tell everyone who I am.

I’m thinking that the security officers have instituted this announcement because they do not enjoy dealing with freaked out passengers who are panicking about their boarding pass.

Anyway, all is not lost! Arrive at your gate and ask the desk agent for a new boarding pass. They already have a record of who you are so it should not be a problem as long as you are not arriving at the last minute.

What information is on a boarding pass?

I will show you my boarding pass and explain each piece of info listed on a boarding pass. I’ll teach you how to decipher the information and how to use the information to successfully locate and board your flight.

Once you receive your boarding pass it will have all the information you need to get you through security and all the information you need to locate your plane.

Click here to watch our video which focuses on each piece of information on the boarding pass and explains the significance to your successful journey. Information such as flight number, group number, gate and boarding times will be explained.