Why there’s simply no need for physical boarding passes anymore

If you’ve been through an airport at any point in the last few years, you know there are so many checkpoints, security lines, and identification requirements to navigate. While the days when you could walk into an office and have your boarding pass printed are not entirely gone, going digital can save you a lot of time and headaches. So much so that we say that printing a boarding pass is simply no longer necessary.

These days, most airlines offer their own app, and it’s on this app that you can often check in for your flight 24 hours in advance. When you check in, it’s easy to get your boarding pass right in the app, so just scan your phone at security or the boarding gate, and you’re done – no extra paper to fumble through and no waiting in a check-in line. This is the simplest reason to do away with the boarding pass, as it can save you some logistical nightmares at the airport. But there are some more complex considerations that we’ll address now.

We’ve talked about it before, but an airline’s dedicated mobile app is really a convenient place to access lots of information about your flight. The apps usually contain updates on flights and schedules and sometimes even additional benefits like in-flight entertainment. This is also where your boarding pass lives, so it’s always ready as long as you have internet access. The other way to store your boarding pass is to use your phone’s wallet feature, which will allow you to access it offline. Many airline apps allow you to add your boarding pass to your Google Wallet or Apple Wallet for easier access. In fact, many US airlines have even recently updated this feature to align with Apple’s revamped boarding passes.

Beyond the fact that you don’t need to carry a physical pass – and therefore have a much lower risk of losing your pass unless you lose your device – a digital boarding pass can be updated after being issued with new information. Boarding passes show when your flight is scheduled to depart, but if you access your pass through your airline’s app, it can actually be updated with new information as flight times, statuses and gate numbers change. Keep in mind that you will need to be connected to the internet for the pass to be updated. This is simply not possible with a physical printed pass, and in this situation you will need to regularly check the information signs around the airport.

Digital access to your pass is only as strong as your phone’s battery life. Battery life can be limited on a busy travel day, so if you struggle to keep your phone charged, you may still need a physical boarding pass. To make sure your phone is sufficiently charged, you can take a TSA-friendly battery bank with you. Adding your digital boarding pass to your Google Wallet or Apple Wallet is essential for offline access, as many airlines require internet access to retrieve your boarding pass from your phone. This way, if you lose internet on your way out the door, it will still be there. Some users even prefer to simply take a screenshot of their pass so that it is available locally on their device without having to rely on a third-party app or integration.

These are small considerations, however. Our phones are almost always with us, often charged and ready for a day of travel. So you can do yourself a favor and avoid the extra paper pass that will inevitably stay in your jacket pocket for years after the trip anyway.