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Paperless Boarding Pass Pilot

Innovation & Technology

Overview | Biometrics | BLS | CastScope | EDS | ETD
Paperless Boarding Pass | Threat Image Projection | Imaging Technology
Photo of a TSO scanning a passenger's Paperless Boarding Pass on her BlackBerry

The paperless boarding pass pilot enables passengers to download their boarding pass on their cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs). This innovative approach streamlines the customer experience while heightening the ability to detect fraudulent boarding passes. Each paperless boarding pass is displayed as an encrypted two-dimensional bar code along with passenger and flight information. TSA security officers use scanners to validate the authenticity of the boarding pass at the checkpoint.

As of March 2012, the pilot was operating at 110 U.S. airports with nine airlines: Alaska, American, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Lufthansa, United, US Airways, and Virgin America.

Due to the rapid expansion of the program, airlines may offer paperless boarding pass at additional airports before they are added to this list. Airlines will make this option available when passengers choose their method of boarding pass delivery.

US Airports

How It Works

Photo of a TSO scanning a man's Paperless Boarding Pass on his BlackBerry The electronic boarding pass contains a two-dimensional (2-D) barcode encrypted with specific passenger information, such as the traveler's name and flight information.

At the checkpoint, a TSA travel document checking officer will instruct the passenger on how to scan their cell phone or PDA so that TSA can verify the authenticity of the boarding pass. Passengers will still be required to show photo identification so officers can validate that the name on the boarding pass matches the name on the ID.