Roberta Aguirre
Should you throw away your boarding pass at the airport? The answer is no. While it may seem harmless to toss your boarding pass or delete the digital version from your phone, doing so can come with unexpected risks. Your boarding pass contains important personal information that could be used for identity theft or account hacking. It also serves as proof of travel for insurance claims, visa applications, and travel expenses. In addition, keeping your boarding pass can help you claim missing frequent flyer miles or rewards and verify upgrades. To prevent misuse, it is recommended to store your boarding pass securely for a few weeks after your trip and then shred it or destroy it securely.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Should you throw away your boarding pass? | No |
| Why keep your boarding pass? | To prevent future issues, help you access benefits, and protect your identity |
| What information does a boarding pass contain? | Full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, contact details, booking details, boarding priority, how much you paid for your ticket |
| What issues can keeping your boarding pass prevent? | Missing frequent flyer miles, insurance claims, reimbursement purposes, applying for certain visas, submitting travel expenses to an employer |
| How should you dispose of your boarding pass? | Shred, mark up, or destroy it securely |
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What You'll Learn
- Boarding passes contain sensitive data, including personal information
- They can be used as backup proof of travel for reimbursements, insurance claims, and visa applications
- They can help resolve issues with missing frequent flyer miles
- They can be used to access airport lounges
- They can be kept as souvenirs
Boarding passes contain sensitive data, including personal information
While it may be tempting to throw away your boarding pass after a flight, it is important to remember that these passes contain sensitive data and personal information. The barcode on a boarding pass can contain a range of personal information, including your full name, frequent flyer number, contact information, booking reference, and other identification details. This information can be accessed by scanning the barcode, and it is possible for someone to misuse this data. For example, if they have your name and confirmation number, they may be able to change or cancel your remaining flights.
Additionally, the boarding pass may contain hidden codes that convey information to airport staff, such as your boarding priority and how much you paid for your ticket. One such code, "SSSS", stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, and indicates that a passenger will be subject to additional security checks.
To protect your personal information, it is recommended that you treat your boarding pass like any other sensitive document. Hold on to your pass until you are sure it is no longer needed, and then shred or destroy it securely. While it may be inconvenient to keep track of these passes, doing so can help prevent issues with mileage credit, travel insurance claims, and other benefits associated with your travel.
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They can be used as backup proof of travel for reimbursements, insurance claims, and visa applications
Although it may seem harmless to throw away your boarding pass after landing, it can be useful to keep it as proof of travel. This is especially important if you need to claim reimbursements, make insurance claims, or apply for certain visas.
When it comes to reimbursements, your boarding pass can be crucial in ensuring you receive any money owed to you. For example, if you are submitting travel expenses to an employer, your boarding pass can provide concrete evidence of your travel dates and destinations. This is also useful when applying for visas that require proof of previous travel.
Similarly, if you encounter issues with your frequent flyer miles not posting correctly, your boarding pass can help customer service resolve the issue quickly. It provides proof of your travel and allows the airline to manually credit your miles. This can also be useful when making insurance claims related to your travel, as the boarding pass validates your trip details.
In addition to these benefits, keeping your boarding pass can also protect your personal information. The barcode on the pass may contain sensitive data such as your full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, and contact details. By keeping your pass and disposing of it securely when no longer needed, you can reduce the risk of your personal information being accessed and misused.
Overall, while it may be tempting to discard your boarding pass after landing, it is advisable to keep it for a few weeks in case of any post-travel issues or requirements for proof of travel. This simple habit can potentially save you time, money, and stress.
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They can help resolve issues with missing frequent flyer miles
While it may be tempting to throw away your boarding pass once you've reached your destination, keeping it can offer several benefits, including resolving issues with missing frequent flyer miles.
Firstly, your boarding pass serves as proof of travel. In the event that your frequent flyer miles are not correctly posted or credited to your account, your boarding pass can provide the necessary evidence to support your claim. It contains flight and ticket information that airline customer service representatives can use to verify your journey and manually credit your miles. This is particularly useful in cases where there are technical issues or data mismatches.
Additionally, your boarding pass can help you access benefits associated with your frequent flyer program. For example, if you are entitled to lounge access or have received a complimentary upgrade, your boarding pass acts as confirmation of these perks. It also contains your frequent flyer number, allowing you to easily provide this information when needed.
Moreover, retaining your boarding pass can help protect your personal information. The barcode on the pass may contain sensitive data, including your full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, and sometimes even your contact details. By keeping your boarding pass secure until you no longer need it, you reduce the risk of this information falling into the wrong hands. Once you're sure you don't need it anymore, be sure to shred or destroy it securely to prevent potential misuse.
Overall, keeping your boarding pass after your trip can be a simple yet effective way to ensure you have the necessary documentation to resolve any issues with missing frequent flyer miles and to access the benefits you're entitled to. It also provides peace of mind knowing that your personal information is protected.
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They can be used to access airport lounges
While it may be tempting to discard your boarding pass after landing, it's advisable to keep it, as it can offer benefits even after your journey. One such benefit is access to airport lounges.
Airport lounges often require passengers to show their boarding passes at the entrance. Lounge staff may also ask for another verification during your stay. If you're eligible for lounge access through a bank card, frequent flyer status, or business class booking, the boarding pass acts as confirmation of your entitlement. For instance, Star Alliance offers access to their lounges at the airport where your flight departs if you are travelling in International First Class or International Business Class. You will need to present a boarding pass in the respective travel class on a Star Alliance member airline-operated flight.
Similarly, if you receive a complimentary upgrade, keeping your pass is essential to verify your new seat or cabin class. This is also true for those who are Star Alliance Gold customers, as they will need to present their boarding pass to access any member airline lounge.
Therefore, it is recommended to keep your boarding pass secure until you are sure it is no longer needed.
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They can be kept as souvenirs
While it is generally recommended that you don't throw away your boarding pass immediately after landing, there is no reason why you can't keep it as a souvenir. In fact, some travellers enjoy collecting their boarding passes as mementos of their trips.
Boarding passes often feature interesting designs, such as colourful patterns and airline logos, and can serve as a reminder of the journey you took and the destination you visited. They can also be a fun way to track your travel history and see how many places you've been to.
Additionally, keeping your boarding pass can offer some practical benefits. For example, if you're part of an airline's loyalty programme, your boarding pass can be necessary to claim missing points or miles. It can also be useful for reimbursement purposes, applying for certain visas, or submitting travel expenses to an employer.
However, it's important to be mindful of the sensitive information contained on your boarding pass. The barcode may include your full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, and even your contact details. Therefore, if you choose to keep your boarding pass as a souvenir, make sure to store it securely and destroy it properly when you no longer need it.
Overall, whether you're a travel enthusiast who enjoys collecting mementos or simply someone who wants to keep track of their travel history, keeping your boarding pass as a souvenir can be a fun and memorable choice.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you should not throw away your boarding pass after going through security at the airport. It is recommended to keep your boarding pass until you are sure it is no longer needed, and then shred it or destroy it securely.
Your boarding pass contains sensitive information, such as your full name, frequent flyer number, booking reference, and sometimes even your contact details. If thrown away carelessly, this information could be scanned and used by someone else, potentially leading to scams, hacked accounts, and stolen identities.
Keeping your boarding pass after going through airport security can help you access benefits, protect your identity, and prevent future issues. It can serve as crucial backup proof of travel for reimbursements, missing frequent flyer miles, insurance claims, and travel visa applications.
