Flight ticket and boarding pass: the same purpose, but different functions
Both of these documents are essential for planning your journey, as it is impossible to board the aeroplane without one or the other. However, although both are essential, the flight ticket and boarding pass serve distinct purposes. They are issued at different times, contain different information and serve different purposes, whether for the passenger, the airport or the airline.
For first-time travellers, the airport process can seem complicated. It involves numerous steps, from entering the airport terminal to boarding the aeroplane. Each of these steps requires specific formalities and the presentation of different documents.
To put it simply, remember that the distinction between the two documents lies in the access they grant. The flight ticket allows you to book your seat on a flight and make payment to the airline. It is a commercial document. In contrast, the boarding pass is an operational document that grants you access to certain areas of the airport on the day of your flight.
The flight ticket for accessing the airline’s services
What information is included on your flight ticket?
This document serves as proof of your transaction with the airline, as you receive it after paying for your flight booking, whether several months, weeks or days before your flight.
The flight ticket contains several important details, including:
- The traveller’s details (surname, first name, contact details, etc.)
- Flight details (airline name, outbound and return dates, destination, times, flight number, etc.)
- The booking reference
- The number of pieces of luggage included or available as an optional extra (along with any relevant instructions)
When do you need to present it?
You must present your flight ticket along with your proof of identity during the check-in process. This can be done at the airport counter upon arrival or directly online via the airline’s website or mobile app.
The boarding pass for boarding the aircraft
The information shown on your boarding pass
The boarding pass is also an essential document; without it, you cannot board the aircraft, even if you have a flight ticket.
The boarding pass contains several important details, namely:
- The passenger’s details
- The boarding gate number and your seat number
- Information on the boarding deadline, the flight’s departure time and its estimated duration
- Details of your checked-in luggage for the flight
You will receive as many boarding passes as you have connecting flights.
When do you need to present it?
Also known as a boarding pass, it is issued to you after you have checked in at the airport counter or, if you have checked in online, as a digital copy. In other words, it is issued once your flight booking has been confirmed, a few hours before take-off.
Good to know: some airlines practise overbooking, which means they sell more tickets than there are seats, counting on the fact that bookings may be changed or cancelled. This is why your boarding pass is so important: it confirms your intention to travel and assigns you a seat on the plane.
Before proceeding to the boarding gate, you must go through security checks, where your flight documents are verified, as is the contents of your hand luggage. You will then need to present your boarding pass again to the airport staff at the boarding gate in order to access the walkways leading to the tarmac.
Paper or digital: in what format will you receive and use your flight ticket and boarding pass?
In this digital age, with processes increasingly being digitised, flight tickets and boarding passes are no longer necessarily printed. Digitisation is bringing about new practices, and e-documents offer numerous advantages.
Traceability is improved in databases, whether those of the airline or the travel agency. More economical and environmentally friendly, you avoid the issuance fees associated with paper tickets. You also minimise the risk of being unable to find your flight ticket just before setting off for the airport, or of misplacing your boarding pass in the terminal after security screening.
However, you need to be careful about the device you use to store these flight documents electronically. A flat battery or a lost connection could cause you problems. Fortunately, there are a few tips to avoid IT-related issues, such as taking a screenshot and keeping a copy in your email inbox.