Where to add your flight to wallet
You add a flight to your digital wallet through the airline's app or website, not through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet directly. Most major airlines — including American, Delta, United, Southwest, and others — let you save your boarding pass to your phone's wallet once you check in for your flight, usually 24 hours before departure.
The process differs slightly by airline and by which wallet you use, but the basic steps are the same: check in online, find the option to add to wallet, and tap it. Your boarding pass then appears as a card in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet alongside your payment cards and other passes.
Some airlines also let you add a flight to wallet before you check in, though the boarding pass won't show a seat assignment or boarding group until you do. If your airline doesn't offer this feature, you can still take a screenshot of your boarding pass and store it in your phone's notes or photos app as a backup.
Key Takeaways
- You add your flight through your airline's app or website, not directly through Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
- Most airlines let you add a boarding pass to wallet after you check in online, which opens 24 hours before your flight.
- Your boarding pass appears as a card in your phone's wallet and works at airport security and the gate without needing internet.
- If your airline doesn't support wallet integration, screenshotting your boarding pass gives you a backup on your phone.
How to add a flight through Apple Wallet
Open your airline's app and check in for your flight. After you check in, look for a button or link that says "Add to Apple Wallet," "Add to Wallet," or sometimes just a wallet icon. Tap it, and your boarding pass will appear in Apple Wallet within seconds.
If you don't see the option in the airline app, go to your airline's website, check in there, and look for the same button. Some airlines put the wallet option on the confirmation page that appears after you check in; others include it in your confirmation email as a link you can tap on your phone.
Once your boarding pass is in Apple Wallet, it will update automatically if your gate or boarding time changes. You can view it by opening Wallet, tapping your boarding pass, and holding your phone to the scanner at security or the gate. Your phone does not need internet or cellular service to display the pass.
How to add a flight through Google Wallet
The process for Google Wallet is nearly identical to Apple Wallet. Check in through your airline's app or website, then tap "Add to Google Wallet" or the wallet icon. Your boarding pass will appear in Google Wallet within moments.
On Android phones, you can also access your boarding pass from the lock screen without unlocking your phone — swipe up from the bottom of the screen and your passes appear. This can be faster at security or the gate if you have multiple passes saved.
Like Apple Wallet, Google Wallet updates your boarding pass automatically if details change, and you do not need an internet connection to display it at the airport. If you lose cellular service inside the terminal, your pass will still work.
How to add a flight through Samsung Wallet
Samsung Wallet works the same way as Apple and Google Wallet. After checking in with your airline, tap "Add to Samsung Wallet" or the wallet icon, and your boarding pass appears in the app.
Samsung Wallet is built into Samsung phones and works alongside Google Wallet on many devices. You can choose which wallet to save your pass to, or save it to both. The boarding pass updates automatically and does not require internet at the airport.
What to do if your airline doesn't support wallet
Not all airlines offer wallet integration yet. If yours doesn't, take a screenshot of your boarding pass after you check in and save it to your phone's photos or notes app. The screenshot will display the barcode and all the information the airport scanner needs.
You can also print your boarding pass at home or at an airport kiosk before you go through security. Some travelers print a backup even when they have a digital pass, in case their phone dies or runs out of battery.
If you check in at the airport instead of online, the agent will print your boarding pass automatically. You can ask for a second copy to keep as a backup while you have your phone pass as your primary option.
Troubleshooting wallet boarding passes
If your boarding pass won't add to wallet, make sure you checked in through your airline's official app or website. Some third-party booking apps do not support wallet integration, even if the airline does. Log into the airline's own app and check in again.
If the button still doesn't appear, your airline may not support wallet for your flight route or device type. Check your airline's website or contact their customer service to confirm. In the meantime, a screenshot of your boarding pass works at security and the gate.
If your boarding pass disappears from your wallet before your flight, check that your phone's date and time are set correctly. Wallet sometimes hides expired passes, and an incorrect system time can confuse the app. You can also re-add the pass by checking in again through your airline's app.
How boarding passes update in your wallet
Your airline's system sends updates to your wallet automatically when your gate, boarding time, or seat assignment changes. You do not need to do anything — the pass updates on its own, usually within a few minutes of the change at the airport.
If you want to check for updates manually, open your wallet app and tap your boarding pass. Some airlines also send a notification to your phone when something changes, though this depends on whether you have notifications turned on for the airline's app.
The barcode on your boarding pass changes each time the pass updates, so the version in your wallet is always the current one. You do not need to worry about showing an outdated barcode at security or the gate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a flight to wallet before I check in?
Some airlines let you add a flight to wallet before check-in opens, but the boarding pass won't show your seat or boarding group until you check in. Most airlines require you to check in first, which opens 24 hours before your flight. Check your airline's app to see if the option is available before check-in.
What happens if my phone dies at the airport?
If your phone battery dies, you can still get through security and to your gate by showing a printed boarding pass or asking the airline to look up your reservation at the counter. This is why keeping a screenshot or printed backup is useful. Most airlines can print a new boarding pass on the spot if needed.
Do I need internet to show my boarding pass at the airport?
No. Once your boarding pass is saved to your wallet, it displays without needing an internet connection or cellular service. The barcode and all information are stored on your phone and work offline.
Can I add a flight booked through a third-party site like Expedia?
It depends on the airline and the booking site. Some third-party sites let you add to wallet, but many do not. Your best option is to log into your airline's website or app directly with your confirmation number and add the flight from there, even if you booked elsewhere.
Will my boarding pass work if the barcode doesn't scan?
If the barcode won't scan, the agent can look up your reservation by name and confirmation number. This happens occasionally due to scanner issues or poor lighting. Having a screenshot or printed backup prevents delays if the digital barcode has trouble scanning.