As 2025 kicked off, it was estimated that 92% of Americans would be packing their bags for trips that involve a flight or hotel stay. Whether you’re jetting off across the globe or taking a quick weekend getaway, there’s one travel document you always need to screenshot before your flight.
Travel expert Katy Nastro, spokesperson for Going (the go-to app for scoring cheap flights), swears by this tip—and once you know it, you’ll never skip it again. Curious what it is? Keep reading to find out. Chances are, you’ve been overlooking it this whole time … and trust us, it’s better to learn now than when you’re standing at the gate with a frozen phone screen.
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What should you screenshot before a flight?
Here’s a travel hack you should never skip: always take a screenshot of your boarding pass before your flight. Nastro puts it simply: “Sometimes we see airlines (or their vendors) experience technology outages, or you could even experience bad Wi-Fi or an app failure at the time of boarding.” In other words, digital isn’t always dependable—especially when you need it most.
Why should you screenshot your boarding pass?
According to Nastro, “even today with airlines experimenting with touchless boarding initiatives, having a screenshot as a form of backup is never a bad idea, especially in the digital age we live in.” She remembers the CrowdStrike outage last summer, which grounded airlines to a halt, some of which for an extended period of time. “Gate agents were checking people in manually by pen and paper in some cases,” she says. Yikes.
Plus, Nastro points out that some mobile boarding passes vanish after you land—so if you’re hoping to swing by the lounge or need proof for an upgrade, a screenshot can save the day. As Nastro puts it: “You just never know when a backup method is needed.”
What are the advantages of a paper boarding pass?
Having a paper boarding pass might seem old-school, but it still has some real advantages—especially when tech fails you mid-trip. As Nastro explains, “The biggest advantage of that physical boarding pass is having it handy when the digital version fails. This is especially true if your phone is dead upon landing and you need to verify something for immigration.”
Believe it or not, my phone once started glitching right before a flight. I couldn’t open the app, couldn’t access my boarding pass in my phone’s wallet, nothing. It was a total panic moment. Luckily, I had a paper copy tucked in my bag and it saved me.
While digital wallets are generally safe, Nastro warns that “photo albums are a different story.” If you’re snapping a pic of your boarding pass, she suggests keeping it in a hidden album to protect sensitive info.
And here’s another pro tip: resist the urge to post your boarding pass on social media. “It might be cute and fun to snap a photo pre-trip, but the less personal information out there for people to see, the better.” Bottom line? Whether it’s printed or saved smartly, keeping your boarding pass secure and accessible is always worth the extra thought.
What other travel documents should you screenshot before a flight?
I always travel with a paper copy of my passport—and Nastro does too! “In case it’s lost, I have that physically backup to show the consulate and authorities which can help expedite the process of getting a temporary passport,” she says.
About the expert
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece, Reader’s Digest Associate Editor Mariah Thomas tapped her experience as a journalist and frequent traveler, speaking with travel expert Katy Nastro of Going to ensure all information is correct. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Katy Nastro, spokesperson and travel expert with the Going travel app; email interview, April 22, 2025
- IPX1031: “Survey Finds Americans’ 2025 Travel Budgets Up from 2024, Averaging $10,000+”
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