Why you should always print your boarding pass

To make sure everything goes well, you need to decide on a few things. For example, carry-on baggage or checked baggage, whether to arrive in three hours or on time, and many others. And one of them is whether to print a boarding pass or use an electronic version.

Travel+Leisure tells you what type of document to bring with you. We can assure you that the answer is more complicated than you expect.

In general, experts recommend printing out your boarding pass, even if you have already checked in online and have an electronic version on your smartphone. This is because there may be malfunctions with your phone. And this, in turn, can slow down the boarding process.

Experts also strongly recommend printing out boarding passes if you're traveling on a connecting flight, as the longer you're on the road, the more likely your phone's battery will run out. If you are traveling abroad, you should also pay attention to customs control - sometimes border guards may ask to see your boarding pass, and it is easier to give them a printout than your phone.

Of course, you can also use an electronic boarding pass. For example, if you have a short flight, you are not checking in baggage, and your phone battery is fully charged, you shouldn't have any problems. But we still advise you to ask at the check-in desk in the waiting room which format is preferable.