My wife and I have different opinions about the necessity of printing a boarding pass. I’m satisfied with pulling up the pass on the airline’s app, the digital wallet on my phone or from a text message link, while Sharon prefers printing out our boarding passes before a trip.
Some things aren’t worth fighting about, so I print passes when possible. I’ve even printed a boarding pass for flights I’m taking myself.
When we’re on the road, it’s occasionally a different story.
Most hotels have a business center or at least a computer available for printing out your boarding passes. Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn or Candlewood Suites usually have a PC for guest use.
The only problem is if the printer is out of ink or paper or refuses to connect to the computer. For privacy’s sake, I always wipe the browser cache when I’m done.
When we were staying in London at the Great Northern Hotel, they didn’t have a business center, so the front desk staff helped us check in from their computer, and then they printed the passes for us. This was a little too hands-on for my liking, but I needed to check in.
I had an issue at another hotel that didn’t have a business center. I asked the front desk if they could print a boarding pass. They didn’t but said I could email the document to them, and they would print it for me. That seemed like too much work, and I was unsure how to email a boarding pass. I checked, and there wasn’t an option on my phone. I’d have to get out my laptop. Forget it.
I had apps for the airlines on my phone and could see my pass when I added it to my phone’s wallet. But what about Sharon’s boarding pass? I checked, and she didn’t have all the airline apps on her phone. We’d have to download them and then set up her account, which meant looking up her password, which I didn’t have handy. Or I could do both on my phone, but then we’d be standing at the gate with me swiping one pass and the other.
I could always go to one of the self-service kiosks at the airport to (re)print our boarding passes, but it seemed like a lot of trouble just to have a piece of paper.
I do see the advantage of having a pass printed. What if my phone dies? What if the airline computers have problems or their website or app crashes? Having the pass printed is a good backup plan.
What do you do?
How about you? Are you a luddite who still prints your boarding pass when flying or a techie who scans the boarding pass from your watch when boarding onto the plane?
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9 comments
I go digital… I love having my boarding pass on my Apple Watch. However, if I check a bag at curbside, they always print my boarding pass even when I tell them I’ve already got a mobile boarding pass on my phone!
Always print it out-and have it in the airline’s app in my phone too.
I see both sides, I love going digital, but I always like a backup just in case something goes wrong and I always seem to have a black cloud over my head!
I’m an old guy. I remember going to the airport with a paper ticket! I always print out a physical boarding pass because, well, you have to have that piece of paper. Then it stays in my carryon and I use my phone.
Most gate scanners are not designed to have you wrist stuffed in. Don’t ask me how I get to know it LOL
I’ve waited behind people that have their app time out, or they lose connection, or whatever. Nothing is going to happen to my printed pass as long as I don’t lose it (and then I’ll try the app).
I still try to use my phone. I usually fly Delta. You’re right, though. It seems like the Delta app refreshes frequently, and it seems to like to do it right as I reach a TSA or gate agent.
I have TMobile. Therefore, I always have a printed boarding pass.
Why not just print the BP at the airport? Unless you travel on some LCC’s it’s free and can be done quickly on self check-in machines…