Holidaymakers could be in for a nasty surprise at the airport if they turn up with something that their airline no longer accepts. In 2026, plenty of travellers will be relying on apps, emails and digital wallets instead of the humble printed boarding pass.
The catch with travelling this summer is that rules aren’t the same everywhere. What works for one airline might not cut it for another, and even some destinations have specific rules, regardless of who you fly with.
In years gone by, most UK airlines let passengers choose between printing at home, grabbing a paper copy at the airport, or flashing a QR code on a screen. Now the direction is clear, and the paper option is on the way out.
Failing to check what your airline (and the departure airport) expects can mean delays, extra fees, or a frantic dash to find a printer. The safest move is to double-check the exact requirements.
Even if your airline is happy with a phone screen, the airport you’re leaving from might not be. With paper boarding passes being phased out across the industry, it’s worth checking the exact rules for your airline, route, and departure airport before you travel.
View 3 ImagesFailing to check could result in delays
Across the big names, policies are pretty similar, but there are exceptions depending on route and airport. In general, airlines now issue boarding passes digitally by default (via app or email), while still allowing passengers to print a copy at home or at kiosks.
- British Airways : You can use the BA app for digital passes or print at home / at airport kiosks.
- Jet2 : Digital and paper both supported; print via “Manage My Booking” or use the Jet2 app.
- TUI : Accepts both printed and digital boarding passes.
- Virgin Atlantic : Digital is strongly encouraged, but printed copies are accepted, and kiosk printing remains available at hubs including Heathrow and Manchester.
Passengers on easyJet are fine with mobile boarding passes for most flights, but there’s a key catch – it won’t accept a PDF scan shown on your phone. If you’re going digital, it needs to be through the free easyJet app.
There’s another sting that can catch people out as well. As of 2026, 21 airports in the easyJet network don’t currently accept mobile boarding passes. If you’re flying back to the UK from one of these places, you’ll need a printed boarding pass:
- 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 : Aqaba, Jordan (AQJ), Belgrade, Serbia (BEG), Pristina, Kosovo (PRN), Tirana, Albania (TIA), Ivalo, Finland (IVL), Sitia, Greece (JSH)
Wizz Air also has a small list of airports that don’t support mobile boarding passes. As of 2026, there are five:
- Agadir (AGA)
- Marrakesh (RAK)
- Cairo Sphinx (SPX)
- Zaragoza (ZAZ)
- Tirana (TIA)
View 3 ImagesEasyJet has one key catch for travellers(Image: Getty Images)
The biggest shift will impact Ryanair customers, as the airline goes all-in on digital. Since November 2025, passengers have received their boarding passes electronically via the Ryanair app after check-in – meaning this is the airline’s first ‘full digital’ summer season.
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On its website, Ryanair says its digital boarding passes “get rid of 300 tonnes of paper annually” and contribute to “lower airport costs and fares for all Ryanair passengers”. The airline said: “Passengers will still receive email reminders to check in online 48 and 24 hrs pre-departure.
“If any passenger arrives at the airport but hasn’t checked in online (having ignored these reminders), they will still be required to pay the airport check-in fee.” Ryanair adds that “special assistance is available at all airports” for passengers who need help with digital boarding passes and check-in.