Latest news with #boardingpass
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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Travel + Leisure
Why Travel Experts Say You Should Never Throw Away Your Boarding Pass
You prepared for your trip, printed your boarding pass, and made it to your destination. At this point, it might be tempting to toss your ticket or delete the saved screenshot of your boarding pass—but you may want to hang on to it a bit longer. Keeping your boarding pass can offer a few unexpected benefits even after your journey ends. It's a small habit that can potentially save you time, money, and stress down the line. A Record of Your Journey Airlines occasionally lose track of flight records—especially when it comes to mileage credit. If you ever need to prove that you were on a flight, your boarding pass serves as solid evidence. It's especially wise to hang on to a printed version, as mobile boarding passes can sometimes disappear once a flight lands. Having that tangible proof can also come in handy for lounge access or verifying eligibility for upgrades. For Frequent Flyer Mile Discrepancies We all hope mileage programs work flawlessly, but technical glitches happen. If your frequent flyer miles don't post correctly, your boarding pass can help customer service resolve the issue quickly. 'If you're part of an airline's loyalty program, your boarding pass might be necessary to claim missing points or miles. Sometimes, airlines have technical issues, and your miles may not be automatically credited,' the blog UniMoniTravel states. 'Having your boarding pass allows you to provide the necessary proof to claim your rewards.' In Case of Travel Disruptions Delays, cancelations, and lost luggage are unfortunate realities of air travel. If you need to file a claim with travel insurance or take advantage of credit card protections, your boarding pass can provide essential information that helps validate your case. Keeping it on hand makes navigating these issues easier. To Protect Your Personal Information If you're using a paper boarding pass, be careful of how you dispose of it. The bar code contains a lot of sensitive data, including your frequent flyer number, which may be linked to your email address, phone number, or other personal details. Hold on to your pass until you're sure it's no longer needed and shred it or destroy it securely when you're ready.
The Sun
21-07-2025
- The Sun
Holiday warning over easy passport and boarding pass mistakes that could land you with a hefty bill worth £1,000s
HOLIDAYMAKERS are being warned that simple mistakes with passports or boarding passes could end up costing thousands of pounds. Experts say losing your passport or throwing away your boarding pass could leave you unable to travel or stuck with surprise bills. 1 Another key blunder includes saving a scanned copy of your passports on your digital devices. Cybercriminals are targeting travel documents, with stolen passports, boarding passes, and hotel bookings being sold for thousands on the dark web. Research from NordVPN and Saily has uncovered thousands of stolen travel details being traded online, putting Brits at risk of identity theft and financial scams. Verified UK passports are among the most valuable, selling for over £4,000 if they're valid and uncompromised. When passports are recorded as missing or stolen and invalidated, the risk of fraud is reduced, but such documents can still slip past some companies with more relaxed reviewing procedures. Even older, invalid passports can fetch up to £8 and may still slip through lax security checks. Boarding passes and airline loyalty accounts are also hot commodities, with criminals using them to steal frequent flyer miles or access personal information. Hackers have also targeted hotel bookings made through popular platforms like selling reservations at steep £200 discounts or claiming refunds to their own accounts. Cybercriminals use malware to scan devices for sensitive files like passport scans, hack email accounts to retrieve travel documents, or exploit data breaches at airlines and travel agencies. Physical mistakes, such as leaving boarding passes behind at airports or sharing passport scans on insecure cloud folders, can also make travellers easy targets. Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, said: "The best way you can protect yourself against these types of fraud is to ensure that all of your devices are kept updated with antivirus software and make sure that anything related to your holiday booking is saved in a secure place. "If you have been asked by your travel agent to send over a copy of your passport, don't be afraid to ask them what they do with that scan once your booking has been completed. "Take precautions in the airport too, and don't leave boarding passes in public places, as even these have enough information to put you at risk of identity fraud." Ultimately, to stay safe, travellers should secure their documents and avoid discarding boarding passes or sharing passport scans carelessly. was contacted for comment. How to report scams If you think you have been a victim of a scam, you should report it as soon as possible. There is no guarantee you'll get your money back, but banks will often compensate you if you can show you did not know the money would leave your account. You can forward scam emails to report@ If you notice a website that doesn't look quite right, you can also report it to the National Cyber Security Centre by visiting You should also contact your provider and report it to Action Fraud, which will give you a crime reference number. You can do this online by visiting or by calling 0300 123 2040. If you're in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland online by visiting You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101. If you need further help, contact Citizens Advice Scams Action by visiting or calling 0808 223 1133. Action Fraud's advice on holiday fraud THINIKNG about booking a holiday this year? Follow our top tips to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud DO YOUR RESEARCH: Before committing and booking your dream holiday, make sure that you do a thorough online search to ensure the company is credible. PAY SAFELY: If you have a credit card, use it when shopping online. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases. LOOK FOR LOGOS: Check if a travel company is an ABTA, the Travel Association, member or an ATOL holder. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website. If you have any doubts, you can verify their membership of ABTA online on their website. If you're booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want to find out more information about ATOL protection, visit the ATOL website. STAY SAFE ONLINE: Use three random words to create a strong email password that's different from all your other passwords. If two-step verification is available, always enable it. WATCH FOR SUSPICIOUS MESSAGES: Be cautious of unexpected emails or messages offering unrealistic holiday deals. If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: report@ PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION: Only fill in the mandatory details on a website when making a purchase. If possible, don't create an account for the online store when making your payment. BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: Be sceptical of unrealistic holiday deals. If they sound too good to be true, they probably are. Exercise caution and research before making a purchase.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
The 1 Boarding Pass Mistake You Should Never Make—It Could Cost You Your Vacation
Experts recommend against sharing photos of a boarding pass on social media. A family had their seats and meals changed, after sharing a selfie with their boarding pass, according to press reports. Luggage tags and baggage claim tags can also have a significant amount of personal information. Snapping photos and posting them on social media is a fun way to share a travel adventure. However, experts are sounding the alarm on one type of photo that could turn a dream vacation into a travel nightmare. Security experts have published a warning against posting screenshots or photos of boarding passes on social media. In recent years, online scammers and thieves have been able to extract significant personal information from a boarding pass, even if the confirmation number is obscured. As an added precaution, experts also advise not posting photos of luggage tags which can also contain additional personal information and other traveler information. The warning was authored by the United Kingdom-based law firm HD Claims, which says that advanced scammers can scrape the personal data from a QR code or a barcode on the boarding pass, even when the main personal information is concealed. In addition to not sharing the information on social media, the firm recommends shredding and destroying all travel documents, as they have observed cases where tickets had been picked out of hotel trash cans. 'This isn't just about social embarrassment, it's a serious data protection issue,' legal expert at HD Claims Adam Douglas shared in a statement to Travel + Leisure. 'If your ID or travel account is compromised as a result, you could end up footing the bill or losing your holiday altogether.'In May 2025, a family who innocently posted photos of their boarding pass online to celebrate an upcoming international trip became victims of a travel nightmare, according to a report detailing the alleged 'sabotage' from Wake Up Singapore. The Hong Kong-based family claimed in the report that their seats were re-assigned, and special kosher meals were replaced from their initial requests. Worst of all, the parents were separated from their two children, according to the report. When former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott posted his boarding pass for an upcoming flight on his Instagram account, his personal information was obtained by a third party. However, the self-described hacker who obtained Abbott's passport details and number used it as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of internet security, versus any negative outcome, according to a BBC report. In addition to not posting a boarding pass, there are many other easy tips to enhance safety when traveling. The United States Department of State recommends carefully researching a destination, not telling strangers where you are staying, locking windows and doors, and avoiding carrying anything expensive. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
14-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
The 1 Boarding Pass Mistake You Should Never Make—It Could Cost You Your Vacation
Snapping photos and posting them on social media is a fun way to share a travel adventure. However, experts are sounding the alarm on one type of photo that could turn a dream vacation into a travel nightmare. Security experts have published a warning against posting screenshots or photos of boarding passes on social media. In recent years, online scammers and thieves have been able to extract significant personal information from a boarding pass, even if the confirmation number is obscured. As an added precaution, experts also advise not posting photos of luggage tags which can also contain additional personal information and other traveler information. The warning was authored by the United Kingdom-based law firm HD Claims, which says that advanced scammers can scrape the personal data from a QR code or a barcode on the boarding pass, even when the main personal information is concealed. In addition to not sharing the information on social media, the firm recommends shredding and destroying all travel documents, as they have observed cases where tickets had been picked out of hotel trash cans. 'This isn't just about social embarrassment, it's a serious data protection issue,' legal expert at HD Claims Adam Douglas shared in a statement to Travel + Leisure . 'If your ID or travel account is compromised as a result, you could end up footing the bill or losing your holiday altogether.' In May 2025, a family who innocently posted photos of their boarding pass online to celebrate an upcoming international trip became victims of a travel nightmare, according to a report detailing the alleged 'sabotage' from Wake Up Singapore. The Hong Kong-based family claimed in the report that their seats were re-assigned, and special kosher meals were replaced from their initial requests. Worst of all, the parents were separated from their two children, according to the report. When former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott posted his boarding pass for an upcoming flight on his Instagram account, his personal information was obtained by a third party. However, the self-described hacker who obtained Abbott's passport details and number used it as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of internet security, versus any negative outcome, according to a BBC report. In addition to not posting a boarding pass, there are many other easy tips to enhance safety when traveling. The United States Department of State recommends carefully researching a destination, not telling strangers where you are staying, locking windows and doors, and avoiding carrying anything expensive.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Taking a summer trip? Don't throw out your boarding passes, officials say
Flyers taking trips this summer may look at their boarding pass and just see their entry to an airplane. But your boarding pass contains a lot more than just your plane seat and gate number. It also includes codes that communicate details about passengers and their itineraries to airport staff. These include unique alphanumeric codes that identify reservation details, acronyms identifying a passenger's place in boarding and letters used to identify a passenger's fare class. And there's the code that flyers dread seeing: SSSS, which means they'll get additional security screening. Here's what air travelers should know about the codes on their boarding passes. Travel publications like Conde Nast Traveler and security experts like Brian Krebs of KrebsOnSecurity urge travelers not to throw out paper boarding passes, even after their flight has ended. Related: As TSA reportedly changes its shoes policy, don't forget these other airport security rules Because a boarding pass contains so much personal information about a traveler, scammers who find discarded boarding passes can use that information to access their accounts. That's why travel and security experts also advise against posting photos of a boarding pass online. Experts recommend flyers shred their paper boarding passes after using, or board using their mobile phones instead. These are some of the most common codes seen on airline boarding passes: SSSS: Secondary Security Screening Selection. These letters mean the passenger has been selected for additional screening, which can include luggage searches, pat-downs and additional questioning at the TSA checkpoint. PNR: Passenger Name Reference. It's an alphanumeric code used to uniquely identify a passenger's itinerary and basic information about them. Travelers need their PNR to look up information about their flights. ET or ETKT: Electronic Ticket. Some airlines use these acronyms instead of PNR to list the code that contains information about a passenger's itinerary. FQTV: Frequent Traveler. This code indicates the traveler is registered with the airline's frequent flyer or loyalty program. SEQ or SEQ NO: Sequence number. It indicates the passenger's place in boarding. Flyers discussing the code on the travel website FlyerTalk said the most coveted sequence code is "SEQ 001," which means the passenger is the first to board. BCBP: Bar-Coded Boarding Pass. It's a bar code that contains passenger information and is scanned to board a plane. The International Air Transport Association sets standards for bar codes on boarding passes, outlined in a lengthy guide; these include the size of the code, its readability and securing codes for fraud prevention. S/O: Stopover. The flight includes a layover in one or more airports. SPTC: Stopover Paid by the Carrier. This means the flight includes a layover that lasts longer than a few hours. It also signals overnight accommodations may be included. A or F: Indicates a first-class ticket. J: Business Class. It indicates the passenger's ticket is for a full-price business class fare. Y: Economy Class. Most airlines use this code to indicate the passenger is in economy class. Related: California has some of the best and worst airports for business travelers in the US: Study The TSA does not publish guidance that explains why people are selected for secondary screening. Anecdotal evidence suggests people are selected for various reasons, which can include: Unusual or suspicious travel patterns. Mistaken identity, often because the passenger's name appears on a TSA watchlist. One-way international flights. Last-minute flights. Purchasing tickets using cash. Traveling to destinations flagged by the U.S. Department of State as high-risk destinations. Some places are more likely to trigger SSSS than others; The Points Guy wrote that it comes up frequently when traveling to and/or from Turkey. Behavior at the airport that the TSA thinks raises suspicions. Random selection. Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What boarding pass codes say about you. What Californians should know
