Do you still print boarding passes / AirBnB confirmation / train tickets etc?

[rickyrickygrimes]

Random question... currently doing online check-in for some flights and wondering if I really need to print the boarding passes? In theory I can do everything on my phone but... When we last travelled (Christmas) I did print everything and take it with us, but didn't use any of it as everything was available on my phone and it was much easier than faffing around with paper copies.

Do you still print these docs off and carry them with you when you travel?

Not if it's not required.

I do however take a screenshot I can access if for whatever reason the internet goes down. I also make sure my husband has the same.

Yes, always do for travel and things like theatre tickets. Better to have a backup in case phone dies.

I always have everything on my phone and travel with power bank, cables etc.

HOWEVER, when I found myself in hospital in a foreign land where our phones weren't connecting too well a couple of years ago I was relieved that my less than technically competent DH had my backup printed copies to fall back on in the event of me not being discharged in time.

Always print. I remember travelling after Covid when Spain wanted to see evidence of vaccination, lots of people hadn't printed and couldn't get any internet at the airport.

I like to be over prepared🙂

Absolutely. Phones can be lost or stolen, or freeze and stop working for no reason whatsoever. A piece of paper might get lost but otherwise it's reliable and not a target for thieves (and if you really want to be on the safe side you can print two copies and put them in different places).

I do as a back up.

I do - I make sure I have a printed version, and a back up on my device. I don't trust that digital versions won't disappear without a trace when I need them. Happened to me once and the printed copy saved me.

No, not always, but I do have them on both phone and iPad and on husband's devices if together AND downloaded so available offline. I carry a power bank and cable too!

I've just flown from Marrakesh Airport and you have to have printed boarding passes. Passport control stamped and signed them. We wouldn't have been able to get on the plane without them. We were aware of this and printed than before we left but I think it can catch some people out.

I like to have a printed boarding pass as I like to keep it in my passport, I find having to hold my phone as well as passport to be annoying. I don't print out reservations or train tickets though.

I travel ultra long haul complicated routes regularly. I haven't printed anything for at least 10 years. I don't have a printer for a start!
My parents specifically book with a travel agent so they can get massive print outs of everything. They arrive on the other side of the world laden with plastic folders of pages of airline codes. My mum refuses to accept that by arriving at the airport at the allotted time and handing over a passport will allow her on the plane.

Like pp I also screen shot any info I'll need to hand that isn't printed eg how to access accommodation etc

I do. I really don’t like the e train tickets, they are fine if it’s just one person travelling who can quickly scan and go through but when I’m with 3dc, I find using my phone to scan each of us through individually with a queue of people building up behind us really gets me flustered.
The scanners at our train station don’t even work for childrens e tickets so they are useless for that anyway.

Having said that I'm a permanent resident of NZ. They did away with stickers in passports and now do E-Visas so it's in the biometric chip. Apparently does away with the bother of printing stickers
Flying back to Auckland from East coast US the check in agent for the US airline I was flying asked me for my visa as I was flying in a UK passport. I explained.. permanent resident, e visa etc. she refused to check me in until I show her an actual PRINTED copy. Thankfully I had something ancient I printed out years ago in my passport wallet which she accepted. So now, instead of a functional sticker I have to fly with three pages of printed A4 in my passport.

Yes. Once had my phone unable to connect as I was driving in rush hour trying to find the right turn off for my pre booked parking at the airport.

If only if had the info printed out.

No I don't but my parents do.
Every holiday, without fail they have a little whinge about them spending several pounds printing stuff off at the library for 95% of it not to be looked at. My dad still won't let the one time the check-in attendant ripped up their printed passes before giving them the airport ones!

Not for years unless it's required for some reason. I carry a portable charger in my hand luggage and would just switch my phone off if a delay was so long that both the charger and the phone battery were going to be dead by boarding.

Yes, because 1) I'm old and 2) it's a helpful backup if I lose my phone or run out of battery.

I do because I like backups. That's it

I agree.

We always have a paper file when we do our trips abroad.

It's also on a phone / email / app but I like a paper copy

I'm trying to "Be More Gen-Z" and have everything on my phone, but I do cave sometimes and print stuff out, particularly with important travel docs, or if travelling alone (so no back-up person with a phone available).

Yes print everything related to travel. Stressful not to have a signal or be scrolling looking for the pdf with an increasingly angry queue behind you.

I always print. I trust paper. I know where I am with it. It’s not going to lose signal or get swiped out of my hand by some yob on a moped, or run out of battery. And I feel more organised with it visibly in front of me. I won’t forget about a booking because it’s in some random place on my phone, out of sight and mind.

Also, I don’t do apps or personal emails and I’m resisting it as long as possible. I deeply distrust the concept of being utterly dependent on technology.

I not only print copies of everything, I put them in a spiral bound, tabbed trip diary. It rarely needs to leave my bag much anymore, but it is there when needed.

I’ve had enough significant travel disruption in my many years to always be prepared and just assume things are going to go wrong.

You don't have to plug in, just take a portable charger