Airport Parking and Hotels, a leading UK airport parking specialist, has released a new report exploring how major global airlines are advancing toward paperless travel in 2025 and beyond. The report evaluates key players, including Emirates, British Airways, easyJet, and Japan Airlines, comparing their approaches to digital transformation.
Ryanair has announced that it will be the first airline to adopt a fully digital system, eliminating paper entirely from the check-in, boarding pass, and gate access process. From November 3, 2025, passengers will no longer be able to download and print physical boarding passes. Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dara Brady, said that the move to 100% paperless boarding passes will deliver an enhanced travel experience for customers, streamlined through the myRyanair app.
The report highlights that while airlines like Ryanair are embracing a fully paperless model, most carriers continue to offer a hybrid approach to accommodate all types of travelers. Many airlines, including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, and Singapore Airlines, offer online check-in while still providing complimentary printed boarding passes at the airport.
The research also shows that all surveyed airlines support online check-in, and most offer self-service bag drops. However, digital passport integration remains limited, largely constrained by government regulations rather than airline technology. Some airlines are already embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the passenger experience, such as Qatar Airways’ Sama, a holographic AI avatar designed to assist travelers.
Airport Parking and Hotels’ Managing Director, Nick Caunter, notes that while digital tools play a valuable role in enhancing the modern air travel experience, a fully paperless approach carries the risk of digital exclusion, potentially leaving behind passengers who lack digital literacy or reliable internet connectivity.
The report aims to help flyers choose the right airline for their needs, particularly those who prefer or require printed boarding passes. As air travel continues to go digital, airlines will need to balance the benefits of digital transformation with the needs of all passengers.
