Lost your boarding pass: where to get a duplicate before and after departure

A boarding pass gets lost at the worst possible moment. Before departure, you can't find it in your pocket or your bag. There's no need to panic: before boarding, the pass can almost always be reprinted, and after the flight, the airline issues confirmation for expense reports.

Online check-in usually opens about 30 hours before departure, and the pass arrives by email right away (as of 09/2026, Lufthansa). If you're already checked in, the airline has a record of you, so recovering the document is straightforward. Below, we cover where to go and what to bring so you don't miss your flight.

Ad: this article contains affiliate links, we earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.

What to do before departure

💡 In short:

• A pass lost before security can be reprinted at the check-in desk or a self-service kiosk.
• Past security or at the gate, a gate agent will print it for you.
• For a business trip report, the airline issues a duplicate or a flight confirmation.
• Reprint procedure: 09/2026, verified on the official Lufthansa website.

First, assess how much time is left before check-in closes. If you have a buffer, go to the check-in desk for your flight. Bring your passport and give the booking reference: the agent will verify your details and print a duplicate in a couple of minutes.

© elisfkc2 · CC BY-SAPhoto: elisfkc2, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

At major airports, a self-service kiosk accepts the same details. On the screen, you enter your last name and booking reference or scan your passport, and the machine prints a new pass. The kiosk line is almost always shorter than the desk line.

It's trickier if boarding has already started. The desk is closed, and the only path leads to the gate. If the pass was lost after security, go straight to the gate. There, an agent will find your booking in the system and print a new document. When there's no line at the gate, it takes one or two minutes.

Don't leave searching for your pass until the last minute.

How to recover a pass for expense reporting

If the trip was for business, the pass is needed for the expense report. It confirms the fact of the flight itself, and without it, you may not be reimbursed for the ticket.

© Wei-Te Wong · CC BY-SAPhoto: Wei-Te Wong, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

First, find out who issues the duplicate. Go to the airline's website and open the flight confirmation section: it often contains both a duplicate pass and a flight certificate based on the booking reference. If you can't find the right option, call the carrier's support line.

If you can't get a duplicate, other documents will work. Most commonly accepted are the itinerary receipt for the e-ticket, an invoice or booking confirmation from the agency, and a card statement. The key is that the documents show the route, document number, date, cost, and passenger details.

Online printing and mobile pass

The easiest way to recover a pass is online. After check-in, the airline sends it by email, and you can download the file again at any time. The same pass is in the carrier's mobile app or in your phone's digital wallet.

Abroad, this requires internet access. Airport and hotel Wi-Fi saves data, but it's not always available on the road. Comparing eSIM plans in advance is worth it: then the airline app and email open at any moment.

© Jeffrey Beall from Denver, Colorado, USA · CC BY-SAPhoto: Jeffrey Beall from Denver, Colorado, USA, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

A mobile pass has one weak point: a dead phone. Keep a screenshot of the pass or a paper copy. Even if the screen goes dark, a gate agent will find you in the system by passport and print the document again.

How airline policies differ

There's no single rule for all carriers: each company sets its own procedure for issuing duplicates. Some print the pass for free, others charge a fee. Check the policy in advance so you don't end up arguing at the desk.

The document used to confirm a flight also varies. With some airlines, you can request a flight certificate on the website; with others, it's only done through the carrier's support team.

For flight cancellations or overbooking, EU rules apply. If the carrier denied you boarding or canceled your flight, you're entitled to compensation of 250-600 € depending on the distance (as of 09/2026, Your Europe). You can check whether you qualify through AirHelp.

Losing the pass is your responsibility, not the airline's. So you'll get a duplicate faster if you saved your booking reference in advance and keep your passport handy. That way, a single piece of paper won't derail your trip.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

What if the pass was lost before security?

Go to the check-in desk or a self-service kiosk. Bring your passport and booking reference: with those, an agent or machine will print a duplicate in a couple of minutes. Make it before check-in closes. The desk closes before boarding even starts, and after that you'll have to go straight to the gate.

Can you board a plane without a boarding pass?

No. The pass is what confirms a passenger's right to board, and without it you won't be allowed through. If the pass was lost past security, speak to a gate agent: they'll find you in the system by passport and print a new one.

How do you confirm a flight for an expense report without a pass?

Request a duplicate or flight certificate from the airline. If that doesn't work, an itinerary receipt, an invoice or booking confirmation from the agency, and a card statement will do. The important thing is that they show the route, date, cost, and passenger details.

Does the boarding pass arrive by email after online check-in?

Yes, usually right after check-in. It opens about 30 hours before departure (as of 09/2026, Lufthansa online check-in), and the pass is sent by email. You can download it again in the carrier's app or directly from the email.

Do you need a paper pass if you have a mobile one?

No, mobile passes are accepted almost everywhere. But keep a screenshot or backup printout handy: that's what saves you when your phone is dead. Even with no charge, you'll get on board if a gate agent finds your booking by passport.

In short: what's worth booking

A lost pass is recovered in the same place where check-in happened: at the desk, at a kiosk, or at the gate. Your passport and booking reference are enough for that.

• If boarding hasn't started yet: go to the check-in desk or a kiosk.
• If you're already past security: speak to a gate agent.

Before your next trip, it's worth sorting out connectivity: compare eSIM plans so the airline app opens from any country.