Why There's Simply No Need For Physical Boarding Passes Anymore

If you've traveled through an airport anytime in the last handful of years, you know that there are so many checkpoints, security lines, and ID requirements to contend with. While the days where you can head to a desk and have your boarding pass printed out aren't entirely gone, going fully digital can save you a lot of time and headaches. So much so, that it's our contention that printing out a boarding pass is simply not necessary anymore.

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 ahead of time. When you check-in, it's easy to get your boarding pass issued right on the app, so you simply have to scan your phone at security or the boarding gate, and you're through — no extra paper to fumble around with, and no waiting in a check-in line. This is the simplest reason for doing away with a boarding pass, as it can save you some logistical nightmares at the airport. But there are a few more complicated considerations that we'll get into now.

We've already touched on this, but an airline's dedicated mobile app is really a convenient place to access a lot of information about your flight. The apps typically contain flight and scheduling updates and sometimes even extra perks like in-flight entertainment. This is also where your boarding pass lives, so it's always ready as long as you've got internet access. The other way you could store your boarding pass is using your phone's wallet function, 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 U.S. airlines even recently updated this functionality to be in line with Apple's revamped boarding passes.

Beyond the fact that you don't have to carry a physical pass — and thus have a much lower risk of losing your pass unless you lose your device — a digital boarding pass can be updated after it was issued with new information. Boarding passes list the scheduled departure of your flight, 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 update. That's just not possible on a physical, printed pass, and in that situation, you'd have to regularly check the information boards around the airport.

Accessing your pass digitally is only as solid as your phone's battery life. Battery life can be at a premium on a busy travel day, so if you're someone who struggles to keep your phone charged, you might still need a physical boarding pass. To make sure your phone has enough charge, you could bring a TSA-friendly battery bank with you. Adding your digital boarding pass to your Google Wallet or Apple Wallet is essential for offline access, because many airlines require access to the internet to pull up your boarding pass on your phone. That way, if you lose internet right as you're heading up to the gate, it'll still be there. Some users even prefer to simply take a screenshot of their pass so it's available locally on their device without having to rely on any third-party app or integration.

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