Boarding pass is an essential item for air travel, whether you print your own in advance or obtain it during the check-in process, it’s advisable not to rush to discard it upon successfully reaching your destination. This small habit may end up saving you time, money, and unnecessary hassle in the future.
Many people tend to dispose of their boarding passes or delete electronic boarding pass screenshots from their phones after completing their flight journeys. However, according to “Travel+Leisure” magazine, it is recommended to hold onto your boarding pass for a while even after the trip ends, as it may bring unexpected benefits.
Here are three potential uses for your boarding pass in the future as compiled by the magazine:
1. Airlines sometimes lose flight records, particularly when it comes to mileage points. Your boarding pass serves as compelling evidence if you need to prove that you did indeed board a specific flight.
2. Keeping a physical copy of your boarding pass is wise because electronic boarding passes may disappear after the flight lands. Having this tangible proof can come in handy when entering airport lounges or verifying eligibility for flight upgrades.
3. Loyalty program miles reward systems can sometimes encounter technical glitches. If your frequent flyer miles do not get credited correctly, your boarding pass can help customer service personnel quickly resolve the issue.
The blog UniMoniTravel notes: “If you are part of an airline’s loyalty program, when claiming missing points or miles, you may need to present your boarding pass. Occasionally, airlines may experience technical malfunctions leading to points not being automatically credited. Keeping your boarding pass can provide the necessary evidence for you to successfully claim rewards.”
Flight delays, cancellations, and lost luggage are regrettable realities of air travel. In case you need to file a claim with a travel insurance company or utilize credit card protection benefits, your boarding pass can provide vital information to help verify your claim application.
Carrying it with you can help you handle related issues more easily.
In addition to the three main uses compiled by “Travel+Leisure”, when traveling abroad, your boarding pass can also serve as proof of your date of entry, providing evidence for any issues you might encounter with customs or immigration authorities in the relevant country in the future.
Another crucial issue regarding boarding passes is if you are using a paper boarding pass, please handle it carefully. Airlines possess a lot of sensitive user information, such as name, date of birth, passport number, email address, phone number, credit card details, home address, and travel plans. All this information may be contained in the barcode on your boarding pass.
Despite airlines strengthening network security to protect user information, passengers can inadvertently expose their boarding pass. Therefore, passengers should refrain from sharing their boarding pass on social media or casually discarding used boarding passes. It is essential to securely store your boarding pass until it is no longer needed; when disposing of it, be sure to shred it or securely destroy it.