RYANAIR announced in early 2025 that it would be scrapping printed boarding passes by November.
Digital boarding passes are already a widely-used option available to passengers, but Ryanair is the first airline to declare that printed versions will be phased out entirely.
Ryanair is phasing out paper boarding passes[/caption]
The move signals a step towards paperless travel in an attempt to improve sustainability and make the boarding process simpler.
But with the landmark decision raising questions among many travellers about what type of boarding pass they can travel with, The Sun explains the rules for some of the UK’s favourite airlines.
Ryanair
Currently, budget airline Ryanair accepts both printed boarding passes and those on a mobile phone.
Passengers can download digital passes via its website or app, or print off paper passes at home on a single page of A4.
There is also an option to get your boarding card printed at the check-in desk, but Ryanair charges £55 for this service.
This is all set to change on November 3, 2025, following an announcement from the airline that printed passes will no longer be accepted.
As of that date, passengers will only be able to board using a digital pass on the myRyanair app and check-in desks will not offer printing.
According to Ryanair, the change is expected to save 300 tonnes of paper even though 90 per cent of passengers already show up with passes on their smartphones.
The airline’s CMO Dara Brady said the move would allow for a streamlined experience.
He added: “This will be particularly useful to passengers during disruptions as it will facilitate real-time updates from our Ops Centre directly to passengers’ phones, and will also provide them with alternative flight options, and offer transfers or hotel accommodation options when necessary.”
Ryanair’s changes will come into effect on November 3, 2025[/caption]
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has claimed that if a customer’s battery dies or they lose their phone, staff will still be able to allow them onto a flight.
However, in this event they should make sure to check in online no later than two hours before getting to the airport.
The only exceptions to the digital-only rule apply to passengers flying out of airports in Morocco or Turkey (bar Dalaman), who will continue to require a printed pass.
Tirana airport in Albania will also demand paper boarding cards for a while after November 3, but this is set to change in March 2026.
The new rule comes amid a string of changes at Ryanair including a change in hand luggage rules and increased bonuses for employees who enforce the baggage allowance.
easyJet
EasyJet accepts both digital and physical boarding passes and has not announced any plans to ban printed documents.
Passengers can arrive at the airport with their boarding cards already printed or have these printed at the check-in desk.
Unlike Ryanair, easyJet does not charge a fee for this service.
easyJet passengers can have their passes printed at the check-in desk for free[/caption]
However, if you make any changes to your booking after printing out your pass you must check in again and get a new one.
These changes can include adding a extra piece of hold luggage or changing a passenger name on the booking.
Travellers who are opting for a digital boarding pass must not try to use a PDF document on their phone as this will not scan properly – they should use a download from the mobile app instead.
This can be added to a phone’s Apple or Google wallet for easy access.
Digital boarding passes must be downloaded via the easyJet app[/caption]
The majority of easyJet airports accept mobile boarding passes, but there are a few exceptions, which are:
- Izmir, Turkey
- Antalya, Turkey
- Agadir, Morocco
- Essaouira, Morocco
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Rabat Sale, Morocco
- Cairo Sphinx, Egypt
- Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Marsa Alam, Egypt
- Hurghada, Egypt
- Aqaba, Jordan
- Belgrade-Beograd, Serbia
- Djerba, Tunisia
- Harstad, Norway
- Sitia, Greece
- Enfidha-Hammamet, Tunisia
- Scandinavian Mountains, Sweden
If you are flying out of one of these airports, you should have a printed boarding card to hand.
Jet2
British airline Jet2 is another popular carrier for holidaymakers that allows both mobile and printed boarding passes.
Passengers can check in on the Jet2 app to download their boarding pass up to six hours before departure time.
Jet2 offers a unique check-in service[/caption]
After that time frame, check-in must be done at the airport desk, but Jet2 will print your boarding card for you free of charge.
Like Ryanair, Jet2 has flights out of Turkey and Morocco – destinations which require physical print-outs – so be sure to download a digital pass if you are returning from a holiday there.
The holiday provider also offers a unique service call Resort Flight Check-In.
Digital boarding passes signal a move towards increased sustainability[/caption]
For getaways booked entirely through Jet2holidays and not just the Jet2 airline, customers can check in for their flight home at the resort.
This means that hotel staff will also print off your boarding pass if you require one.
Wizz Air
Low-cost airline Wizz Air generally accepts printed as well as digital passes.
However, it also flies from some airports that do not support the mobile option.
Its website has a handy tool to help you check which which airports will require a physical boarding card, allowing you to print it off ahead of your flight to avoid complications.
If you are unable to print your boarding pass yourself, Wizz Air can do it for you at the check-in desk for €40 (around £35).
Wizz Air only prints boarding cards free of charge at two airports[/caption]
You can even reduce the cost of this to €13 (around £11) if you pre-book the printing service online.
There are two exceptions to this:
- Agadir, Morocco
- Zaragoza, Spain
Online check-in is not available for these airports, so they offer full desk check-in which includes printing boarding passes for free.
Some airports do not support mobile boarding passes[/caption]