22-07-2025
Ryanair is banning paper boarding passes. Here's everything you need to know
Soon, the days of tucking your boarding pass into your passport will be a distant memory. As more airlines move towards digital boarding passes – including Ryanair, which will ban paper boarding passes from November 2025 – those once-essential tickets are quickly being replaced by apps and digital downloads on your smartphone.
But what if you don't have a smartphone, or run out of battery while airside? How do the rules vary between airlines? And which airports refuse to move with the times? As printed passes become passé, here's everything you need to know.
In this guide:
Which countries require a printed boarding pass?
Do I need to print my boarding pass?
How do I get a digital boarding pass?
Boarding pass rules: Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, British Airways and more
What is a boarding pass?
Quite simply, it's your flight ticket – but it holds a surprising amount of information, says Dan Murphy, head of aviation at Flight Centre UK. That little pass includes: 'your full name, date of travel, flight number, origin, destination, booking reference, ticket number, seat number, time of departure, boarding time, boarding group and frequent flyer number and status.'
Do all destinations accept digital boarding passes?
No – a few still require printed boarding passes for departures, and refuse to accept digital ones. For example, all airports in Morocco require print-outs, including Marrakech and Casablanca. Turkey also demands the old-fashioned way, though it makes an exception for departures from Dalaman. In Albania, you'll need a paper pass to fly from Tirana.
You'll either be notified by your airline if a printed boarding pass is required, or simply be unable to download one when checking in online. When you arrive at departures, just go to the check-in desk to collect your paperwork. You won't be charged: all airlines we quizzed said that when flying from the above airports, paper boarding passes will be free of charge – even on Ryanair, after it switches to digital boarding passes from November.
