Retrieving an Old Flight's Boarding Pass: Options and Steps
If you need a boarding pass from a flight you already took, electronic versions are usually easier to recover than paper ones. Airlines often email e-tickets at purchase, and those messages typically stay in your inbox after travel. You can also reach out to the carrier directly, though time limits on record retention mean acting fast matters.
By Jordan Ross3 steps
Electronic boarding passes can make keeping track of your documentation a breeze.
A boarding pass serves as proof that you bought a seat on a plane and should be permitted to board. Losing a paper boarding pass could leave you in a difficult situation. Electronic boarding passes, however, are simpler to recover. You can also look up or print copies of boarding passes from earlier trips if the need arises.
Step 1
When buying a ticket—whether directly or through a travel agent—request that an electronic boarding pass be emailed to you. To cut down on paper use and offer greater convenience, many airlines provide e-passes delivered to passengers' email addresses at the time of purchase.
Step 2
Keep the electronic boarding pass in your email account. Since the pass is not deleted or removed once the flight is over, you can leave a copy sitting in your inbox. As an alternative, store it on your computer or phone, which keeps it accessible and allows you to print additional copies whenever needed.
Step 3
Get in touch with the airline you flew with. Inquire whether your electronic boarding pass can be sent to you in copy form. If you originally had a physical ticket, you can ask about getting a copy of that as well. In either scenario, records are only kept for a limited period, so you need to act promptly to obtain the boarding pass copy you are after.
