Do You Still Print Your Boarding Pass?

[WinniWoman]

I always print everything. also. as I feel the need for physical backup, though I am starting to realize it might be time to stop using so much paper and ink, as I end up throwing a majority of it out at the end of the year.

That was ok when we had a fireplace and could burn it all, but when we move into the new home there will not be a fireplace and it is way too much to shred. So rethinking it all.

Anyway- back to the boarding pass-the last trip I did print the pass going but coming back I did not- I just used my phone.

 

[x3 skier]

If I think of it, I do. If not, no big deal. My traveling companion(s) seem to always want paper. I guess they are technophobes.

Speaking of computers going down, flew out of Tampa today on Southwest. The code reader at the gate couldn’t read anything, paper or App, for about 5 minutes. So much for a backup.

Cheers

 

[linsj]

I still print my boarding passes because I've seen too many people in front of me have trouble with their phones at the gate. I don't want to be one of them. I've heard gate agents express appreciation for paper passes; they've had to deal with phone problems at boarding way too often.

I also print reservations just in case. I've encountered a couple of problems checking into a hotel and couldn't pull up my reservation on the phone. A couple of months ago, I saved hotel parking fees because I had a printed copy of the reservation that showed parking was included in the resort fee when I booked the room. It later changed to separate fee, but the desk clerk said he could wave it only because I had the paper proof.

 

[Jimster]

I want to put a different approach to all this. Since I worked in a hotel during my retirement, I would tell you that you would be AMAZED how many people print their boarding passes AND then they don’t sign out of their account. I am talking about public computers. Even if they sign out, they often leave tell tale information for a hacker. SOOO, if you print your boarding passes with a public computer be careful.

Personally, I usually use the apps or pick up my boarding passes at the check in counter. If i am at home, I usually check-in but dont necessarily print off the boarding pass. Most airlines only let you print your boarding pass 24 hours out anyway.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Nope, never print, never have any trouble. Most of the apps add the pass to my wallet, so, cell coverage, WiFi whatever does not matter.

 

[paxsarah]

I don’t fly a lot, but when I do I’ve typically bought the tickets for myself and my whole family. Last time, I could have retrieved my own boarding pass from the app but not for my husband and kids, so since I had to print their three, I just printed mine as well.

 

[Talent312]

My cellphone battery usually dies at inopportune times.
Once, in Toulouse, France, I had to borrow a desk clerk's charger.
My charger was in my luggage... which was still in Barcelona.
So, yes... I still print boarding passes.

 

[WinniWoman]

I don’t fly a lot, but when I do I’ve typically bought the tickets for myself and my whole family. Last time, I could have retrieved my own boarding pass from the app but not for my husband and kids, so since I had to print their three, I just printed mine as well.

Wow. That is odd. On our recent trip I had both boarding passes on my cell for me and my husband.

 

[Passepartout]

Being sort of a 'belt- AND suspenders' kind of guy, I'm likely to get the boarding pass on my phone, then print it either at home or at the airport too. It reduces Murphy's Law events.

Jim

 

[paxsarah]

Wow. That is odd. On our recent trip I had both boarding passes on my cell for me and my husband.

It probably depends on the airline. It wasn't possible with Southwest. My husband could have created his own Southwest account and then had his pass on his own phone (probably more of a hassle than just printing a piece of paper since he didn't already have a Southwest account), but that wasn't an option for my minor children regardless.

 

[WinniWoman]

It probably depends on the airline. It wasn't possible with Southwest. My husband could have created his own Southwest account and then had his pass on his own phone (probably more of a hassle than just printing a piece of paper since he didn't already have a Southwest account), but that wasn't an option for my minor children regardless.

Aahh. Ours was United.

 

[Luanne]

It probably depends on the airline. It wasn't possible with Southwest. My husband could have created his own Southwest account and then had his pass on his own phone (probably more of a hassle than just printing a piece of paper since he didn't already have a Southwest account), but that wasn't an option for my minor children regardless.

Okay, I can't swear this is true, but I think I was able to see both mine and my husband's boarding passes for SW on the app. I know that I didn't think I could at first, but then somehow I scrolled and was able to. I had already printed them out, so it really didn't matter.

 

[slip]

I can always bring up both boarding passes on my United app when we are on the same confirmation number. I was able to bring up my sons a few times when under the same confirmation number.

 

[paxsarah]

Okay, I can't swear this is true, but I think I was able to see both mine and my husband's boarding passes for SW on the app. I know that I didn't think I could at first, but then somehow I scrolled and was able to. I had already printed them out, so it really didn't matter.

It’s possible there’s a way around it, but Southwest’s website says this so I didn’t bother to try to find a workaround:
“A logged in user who is on a multiple passenger reservation who is eligible can obtain their own mobile boarding pass within the Southwest app or on the Southwest mobile website. Non-logged in users on a multiple passenger reservation will need to visit a kiosk or print their passes on a desktop computer.”

 

[Luanne]

It’s possible there’s a way around it, but Southwest’s website says this so I didn’t bother to try to find a workaround:
“A logged in user who is on a multiple passenger reservation who is eligible can obtain their own mobile boarding pass within the Southwest app or on the Southwest mobile website. Non-logged in users on a multiple passenger reservation will need to visit a kiosk or print their passes on a desktop computer.”

I'll have to check this next time we fly Southwest.......if I remember.

 

[klpca]

It’s possible there’s a way around it, but Southwest’s website says this so I didn’t bother to try to find a workaround:
“A logged in user who is on a multiple passenger reservation who is eligible can obtain their own mobile boarding pass within the Southwest app or on the Southwest mobile website. Non-logged in users on a multiple passenger reservation will need to visit a kiosk or print their passes on a desktop computer.”

can you print to pdf then screenshot the others? I'm tired so maybe this is stupid, but it seems so inefficient for them to not have a way to do this.

 

["Roger"]

Here is a link to an article in yesterday's Forbes magazine saying that you should never print your boarding pass. Basically it says that the printed copies, if discarded, make it easy for hackers to access your frequent flyer miles and steal them.

I am still going to print mine. Maybe the phones work for the technophiles, but if my wife and I tried to use our phones, about half the time we would never get past security. What the article does make me aware of is the importance of destroying your boarding pass once you have used it.

Somewhat along the same lines, my wife and I almost always use hotels in the Hilton chain. We are constantly encouraged to use a digital key for our room. I tried it once. By the time I got my phone out, accessed the app, accessed the digital key within the app, my wife was long into the room just pulling out the plastic room key. I found the digital key terribly awkward, sort of a "Geewhiz, look at what I can do" that was far more clumsier than just using the standard hotel key.

 

[Luanne]

can you print to pdf then screenshot the others? I'm tired so maybe this is stupid, but it seems so inefficient for them to not have a way to do this.

I think the idea of using the app for the boarding passes is to eliminate the need to print them off.

 

[klpca]

I think the idea of using the app for the boarding passes is to eliminate the need to print them off.

You "print" the pdf on your phone, not on paper. It just seemed like the app would only allow one boarding pass to be saved to the phone, and the rest needed to be printed on paper. If you can save it as a pdf then you can text the photo to the other people in the party.

 

[Luanne]

You "print" the pdf on your phone, not on paper. It just seemed like the app would only allow one boarding pass to be saved to the phone, and the rest needed to be printed on paper. If you can save it as a pdf then you can text the photo to the other people in the party.

Sounds like too much work, lol.

 

[klpca]

Sounds like too much work, lol.

Exactly why people just go to the kiosk.

But that's why I was surprised that SW was making it so hard to get electronic boarding passes to the entire party.

 

[VacationForever]

Here is a link to an article in yesterday's Forbes magazine saying that you should never print your boarding pass. Basically it says that the printed copies, if discarded, make it easy for hackers to access your frequent flyer miles and steal them.

I am still going to print mine. Maybe the phones work for the technophiles, but if my wife and I tried to use our phones, about half the time we would never get past security. What the article does make me aware of is the importance of destroying your boarding pass once you have used it.

Somewhat along the same lines, my wife and I almost always use hotels in the Hilton chain. We are constantly encouraged to use a digital key for our room. I tried it once. By the time I got my phone out, accessed the app, accessed the digital key within the app, my wife was long into the room just pulling out the plastic room key. I found the digital key terribly awkward, sort of a "Geewhiz, look at what I can do" that was far more clumsier than just using the standard hotel key.

I always bring ours home to shred.