A boarding pass is the document that authorizes you to board a given flight. You get it after check-in, online or at the airport, not when you buy the ticket. Depending on the airline, online check-in opens between 30 hours (Air France, Transavia) and 30 days (easyJet) before departure; at Ryanair, boarding passes have only been accepted in digital form since 12 November 2025. If a flight is full, our guide to airline overbooking explains what European regulation provides.
This guide draws on the official pages of Air France, Transavia, easyJet and Ryanair, consulted on 23 October 2026. Rules change often: your airline’s page and your confirmation email are what count.
Boarding pass key facts
- Ticket = the transport contract you bought; boarding pass = permission to board, issued after check-in.
- It shows at least your name, the flight number, and the date and time of departure.
- Formats: paper, PDF, mobile app or phone wallet depending on the airline.
- At Ryanair: check in online no later than 2 hours before departure, otherwise airport check-in fees apply.
- If you are dropping off checked baggage, also respect the bag drop deadline.
Airline ticket or boarding pass: what is the difference?
| Airline ticket | Boarding pass | |
|---|---|---|
| When | At booking | After check-in |
| What it is for | Proves the purchase and the right to be carried | Lets you through to the departure lounge and onto the aircraft |
| Content | Itinerary, fare, baggage included | Name, flight, date, time; often gate, seat and boarding time |
| Format | Email confirmation | Paper, PDF or mobile depending on the airline |
When can you get your boarding pass? The table by airline
| Airline | Online check-in opens | Online check-in closes | Boarding pass format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air France | From 30 hours before departure (24 h for some flights departing from the United States) | Cancellation possible until the check-in deadline | Email, phone, print, or kiosk at the airport |
| Transavia | 30 hours before departure | 4 hours or 1 hour before the flight depending on the departure airport | Mobile (to download) or print |
| easyJet | 30 days before departure | 2 hours before departure | Mobile app or print |
| Ryanair | 60 days before with a paid seat; otherwise a free seat is assigned between 24 h and 2 h before | 2 hours before departure | Digital only in the app (flights from 12/11/2025), except departures from Morocco |
Worked example (Destination de Voyage calculation based on the deadlines above) for a flight scheduled on Saturday 14 November at 7:00 a.m.:
| Airline | Online check-in possible from | No later than |
|---|---|---|
| Air France | Friday 13 November at 1:00 a.m. | Before the check-in deadline shown |
| Transavia | Friday 13 November at 1:00 a.m. | Saturday 14 November at 3:00 a.m. or Saturday 14 November at 6:00 a.m. depending on the airport |
| easyJet | Thursday 15 October at 7:00 a.m. | Saturday 14 November at 5:00 a.m. |
| Ryanair (free seat) | Friday 13 November at 7:00 a.m. | Saturday 14 November at 5:00 a.m. |
Paper or mobile boarding pass?
A mobile boarding pass saves printing, but it depends on your phone. Ryanair dropped paper boarding passes for its flights from 12 November 2025: the digital pass is shown in the app, and for flights departing from Morocco you have to collect a printed pass at the desk after checking in online. Transavia notes that the mobile pass is displayed on a smartphone. Air France offers email, phone, immediate printing or collection at an airport kiosk.
- Charge your phone and keep a backup battery (power banks go in the cabin only: see our power banks on planes guide).
- Save the pass offline (screenshot or phone wallet) if the airline allows it.
- One boarding pass per passenger, children included.
- For a connection, check that you have the passes for all flights. For transit visas, baggage and minimum times, see our airport transit guide.
Mistakes that cost money
- Forgetting online check-in at Ryanair: past the 2-hour limit before departure, the terms and conditions provide for airport check-in fees (amount in the airline’s fee table).
- Arriving too late: if the time is not shown on the pass, Air France advises arriving 3 hours before an international flight and 2 hours before a flight within France and Europe (the UK included).
- Confusing check-in closing with bag drop closing: a boarding pass in your pocket is not enough if your suitcase is not dropped in time. At Ryanair, check-in desks close 40 minutes before departure, and 60 minutes for travel from 10 November 2026, unless stated otherwise.
- A name different from your passport: the pass shows the name on the booking, which must match the ID you present.
- Changing your booking after check-in: at Transavia, the booking can no longer be changed once check-in is done. If you change flights at easyJet, you must check in again.
For the rest of your preparations, see our guides to the cabin suitcase, checked baggage and items banned on planes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get your boarding pass?
By checking in on the airline’s website or app, then downloading or printing it; some airlines also issue it at a kiosk or at the desk.
When do you receive your boarding pass?
Right after check-in: from 30 hours before departure at Air France and Transavia, up to 30 days before at easyJet.
Is a boarding pass on your phone enough?
Yes at most airlines; at Ryanair it is even the only format accepted for flights from 12 November 2025, except departures from Morocco.
Are the ticket and the boarding pass the same thing?
No: the ticket proves the purchase, the boarding pass authorizes boarding after check-in.
What if you cannot check in online?
Go to the airline’s desk in good time: Air France warns that additional checks are possible when the pass cannot be issued online.
Our sources
- Air France, « Check-in » page (airfrance.fr), consulted on 23 October 2026.
- Transavia, help pages « When can I check in online? » and « How do I download a mobile boarding pass? », consulted on 23 October 2026.
- easyJet, Help « Check-in », consulted on 23 October 2026.
- Ryanair, Terms and Conditions of Carriage (effective date: 25 June 2026), article 6.2, consulted on 23 October 2026.
- Wikipedia, « Boarding pass » article, consulted on 23 October 2026.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
