Why You Should Save Your Boarding Pass

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at sschlichter@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Sarah Schlichter

After your latest and greatest trip has come to an end, you find yourself glumly unpacking your suitcase. Your dirty unmentionables go straight into the laundry hamper, your shampoo and conditioner return to their usual perch in the shower, and your used airline boarding passes get tossed in the trash … or do they?

Not so fast, writes Ed Hewitt: “Your boarding pass can serve as proof of travel if your airline fails to give you the proper credit for frequent flier miles; this type of problem is particularly common if you’re flying on a codeshare partner of the airline in question. Your boarding pass can also be useful as a receipt for tax purposes, particularly if you’re self-employed.”

This advice holds true even if you’re using a mobile boarding pass on your smartphones — don’t delete that boarding pass e-mail from your airline until you’ve seen your frequent flier miles safely credited to your account.

Of course, there are more fun reasons to keep your boarding passes too, at least if they’re the good old-fashioned paper kind. Crafty types can create a collage, pin them to a wall map or include them in trip photo albums or scrapbooks.

See nine more tips for a smoother trip.

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