American Airlines is enhancing the travel experience for non-revenue (non-rev) travelers with a convenient new update. As of Wednesday, January 13th, non-rev passengers on American Airlines and American Eagle flights can now receive their boarding passes via email, offering a streamlined process and reducing gate congestion.
This digital boarding pass option provides increased convenience and helps to optimize airport operations. In 2019 alone, American Airlines gate agents dedicated over 44,000 hours to processing 3.9 million non-rev travelers. This new system aims to improve efficiency for both passengers and staff.
Boarding passes will be delivered directly to the email address(es) you provide in the Travel Planner when listing for a flight. This ensures you have quick and easy access to your boarding pass right on your mobile device or computer.
While the email option is now available, American Airlines understands that digital access isn’t always possible. For non-rev travelers without email access while traveling, such as those without a mobile device, printed boarding passes remain available upon request from gate agents. American Airlines is committed to ensuring all passengers can obtain their boarding passes.
Want to take advantage of this new, efficient boarding pass delivery method for your upcoming trips? Here’s what you need to know about using the email boarding pass system and how printed passes are still available when needed.
How to Get Your Email Boarding Pass
The process for obtaining your email boarding pass starts when you book your flight through Travel Planner. During the listing process, you will encounter a new required field where you can input your preferred email address.
Alt text: Travel Planner interface showing the new required field for entering email addresses to receive digital non-rev boarding passes.
You have the option to enter up to two email addresses. Boarding passes for the reservation will be sent to these email contacts. Importantly, each traveler will receive a separate email containing their individual boarding pass.
For families traveling together, such as you, your spouse, and children, you could enter your email as the primary address and your spouse’s as the secondary. In this scenario, both of you would each receive four emails, one for each family member’s boarding pass. This ensures everyone in your party has their boarding pass readily available.
If you are making travel arrangements for another person, such as a registered companion or parent, you can enter their email address directly. You can also include your own email as a secondary address to stay informed.
For those who booked travel prior to January 13th, boarding passes will be sent to the email address already on file in Travel Planner. However, you can always add an additional email address to your reservation in Travel Planner before check-in to take advantage of the new email delivery system.
Airport Procedures with Email Boarding Passes
The recommended arrival time at the gate remains 45 to 60 minutes before domestic departures and 90 minutes for international travel. Upon arrival at the gate, wait for the gate agent to announce your name. You will then check in with the gate agent, who will process seat assignments for you and your travel companions, just as before.
After the gate agent confirms your standby status and assigns seats, you can expect to find your boarding pass emails in your inbox.
Alt text: Digital American Airlines boarding pass example displayed in an email, showing flight details, passenger name, and barcode for scanning, highlighting the convenience of email delivery for non-rev travelers.
If needed, you can easily forward the respective boarding pass emails to others in your travel party. This simplifies distribution, especially within families or groups.
While this email boarding pass system is being newly implemented, please inform the gate agent that you have received your boarding pass via email. This helps them accurately account for all standby travelers. For itineraries with connecting flights, you will initially receive an emailed boarding pass for your first flight segment and a printed verification card for subsequent segments. Once a seat is assigned for your connecting flight, a boarding pass for that segment will also be emailed to you.
Seat Assignments and Boarding Pass Updates
It’s important to note that the seat assignment process itself remains unchanged. Non-rev travelers will continue to be accommodated in the highest class of service available, based on their flight listing and seat availability.
In the event of a seat change, a revised boarding pass will be issued, and a new email notification will be sent to you. This ensures your boarding pass is always up-to-date, even with last-minute adjustments.
American Airlines appreciates your patience and flexibility as this new system is rolled out. Should you encounter any issues retrieving your boarding pass at the gate, please do not hesitate to request a printed copy from the gate agent. They are there to assist you and ensure a smooth travel experience.
This new email boarding pass option is designed to make travel more convenient and efficient for non-rev passengers, while printed passes remain available for those who need them.
