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Having your boarding pass ready is one of the first steps to getting away on holiday, but some Brits may get caught out at the check-in desk for ignoring a rule some airlines have in place. It is important to know if your documents need to be shown a certain way to get through the airport.

Until recently, most UK airlines have left it to customers to decide whether to print boarding passes at home or show them digitally at the airport. It is important to know what your airline allows, or your entire trip could be delayed.

Paper boarding passes are increasingly being replaced by digital alternatives. Many airlines now release tickets via email, apps, or other methods rather than paper.

In many cases, customers can still print their passes at home or at the airport. It is best to check with your specific airline (departing and returning) for individual policies.

Budget carrier Ryanair has gone completly digital as of November 2025. Passengers flying with the airline will receive their boarding pass virtually via the Ryanair app once check-in is complete.

On its website, the airline claims that its digital boarding passes "get rid of 300 tonnes of paper annually" and help "lower airport costs and fares for all Ryanair passengers".

Ryanair adds that "special assistance is available at all airports" for customers who need help with digital passes and check-in. Full details are available here.

For most flights, airlines like easyJet will allow digital tickets. However, there are 21 airports in the easyJet network that do not currently support mobile boarding passes, as of 2026.

If you are flying back to the UK from any of these locations, you must print your boarding pass on paper:

• Egypt: Hurghada (HRG), Luxor (LXR), Marsa Alam (RMF), Cairo Sphinx (SPX), Sharm El Sheikh (SSH)
• Morocco: Agadir (AGA), Essaouira (ESU), Marrakesh (RAK), Rabat (RBA), Tangier (TNG)
• Turkey: Izmir (ADB), Antalya (AYT), Bodrum (BJV)
• Tunisia: Djerba (DJE), Enfidha (NBE)
• Other Regions: Aqaba, Jordan (AQJ), Belgrade, Serbia (BEG), Pristina, Kosovo (PRN), Tirana, Albania (TIA), Ivalo, Finland (IVL) and Sitia, Greece (JSH)

Some airports that operate Wizz Air flights also do not support mobile passes, although there are only five destinations, as of 2026:

• Agadir (AGA)
• Marrakesh (RAK)
• Cairo Sphinx (SPX)
• Zaragoza (ZAZ)
• Tirana (TIA)

EasyJet does not accept PDF scans on phones, and all digital tickets must be shown using the free EasyJet app. Some non-UK airports still require printed passes.

• British Airways: Allows printing at home or at airport kiosks. Digital passes are available via the BA app.
• Jet2: Supports both physical and digital tickets. You can print from "Manage My Booking" or use the Jet2 app.
• TUI: Both printed and digital passes are accepted.
• Virgin Airways: Although the airline "highly recommends" digital, printed copies are accepted, and kiosk printing remains available at major hubs like London Heathrow and Manchester.

If people are flying with other airlines, it is best to check their provider's website to see if there is a specific policy in place.