People planning to fly in 2026 should be aware of significant changes to boarding pass rules that may impact their travel.

With the majority of travellers now using smartphones, many prefer the convenience that comes with a digital boarding pass. It saves having to work out how to use your home printer, or needing to join a massive queue at the airport. However, understandably, some people will prefer a paper copy, worrying about tech issues such as a dead battery.

The past year has seen some airlines, most notably Ryanair, completely eliminate paper passes and transition to a fully digital system. Passengers hoping to board the budget airlines will now need to have the digital pass ready to scan on their phones. Ryanair justified the change at the time, saying 60% of passengers already use digital boarding passes, and the airline has also announced plans to do away with airport check-in desks in the future too.

Forgetful passengers who fail to check in online and download their boarding passes could face a whopping £55 fee to check in at the airport. However, if you lose your phone or your battery dies, and you’ve checked in online, Ryanair has reassured customers that they’d print one for free in these circumstances.

Rules around boarding passes vary between airlines, so here are some of the UK’s most popular providers and what their policies are for 2026 passengers. 

British Airways

British Airways still accepts both digital and printed boarding passes. Once you check in online, you can either download your boarding pass to your phone, or print it out on plain paper at home. Some routes still require a printed boarding pass, and you can print these for free at a kiosk when you get to the airport if you don’t own a printer. 

British Airways also has an app which will notify you when check-in is open, as well as information such as departure times and gate numbers. Even if you can’t connect to the internet, you can still access your pass and flight information. 

Apple Watch owners also have the option of downloading their boarding pass onto their device. Simply follow the steps below. 

• Download the British Airways app on your iPhone and Apple Watch

• Check in for your flight on your iPhone

• Download your boarding pass to Passbook/Wallet on your iPhone through the British Airways app

• Scan your Passbook boarding pass at security and boarding gates

EasyJet

Budget carrier easyJet encourages the use of digital boarding passes via its app as it’s easier for passengers to get updates on  flights and reduces waste. However, the airline will still accept a printed boarding pass if you prefer a physical copy.

There are also some easyJet destination airports where you’ll be required to print a boarding pass, as they don’t yet have the technology to accept the app version. These are: 

• Albania TIA – Tirana
• Egypt HRG – Hurghada LXR – Luxor RMF – Marsa Alam SPX – Cairo Sphinx SSH – Sharm El Sheikh
• Finland IVL – Ivalo
• Greece JSH – Sitia
• Jordan AQJ – Aqaba
• Kosovo PRN – Pristina
• Morocco AGA – Agadir ESU – Essaouira RAK – Marrakech RBA – Rabat Sale TNG – Tangier Ibn Batouta
• Serbia BEG – Belgrade-Beograd
• Tunisia DJE – Djerba NBE – Enfidha-Hammamet
• Turkey ADB – Izmir AYT – Antalya BJV – Milas Bodrum

However, if you’re flying to one of these destinations and don’t have a printer at home, easyJet will print one for you for free at the airport. 

TUI

If you’ve booked a holiday with TUI, you’ll need to check whether your flight is also with the airline, or whether it has been booked with another airline. TUI flight numbers start with TOM or BY, so if it’s not one of these, you’ll need to check the specific rules for the airline you’re booked with, as some packages fly with carriers such as easyJet.

TUI flights accept both digital and printed boarding passes, although if you opt for the latter, you’ll need to ensure you print it on A4 paper, with no rips or tears, and the barcode needs to be clearly visible for scanning. 

Check-in for TUI flights is available 48 hours before departure, unless you’ve booked Premium, Extra Legroom seats, Extra Space seats, or chosen the Select Your Seat option, in which case you can check-in 14 days before your flight. 

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com