Easy American Airlines Boarding Pass Guide [2026]

Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe

American Airlines gives you several ways to retrieve your boarding pass before or at the airport. You can check in on the website or mobile app, save a digital pass, print one at home, use an airport kiosk, or ask an agent for help. The best option depends on your airport, documents, and travel needs.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Have the following information ready before checking in or retrieving your boarding pass:

• Passenger’s last name: Enter it as it appears on the reservation.
• Six-letter confirmation code: American also calls this a record locator. You can find it in the confirmation email or in your AAdvantage account.
• AAdvantage login: This is optional, but it can automatically display trips connected to your account.
• Accepted identification: Adults passing through a TSA checkpoint need a REAL ID-compliant state ID or another document on the TSA accepted-identification list.
• International documents: Bring your passport and any required visas, entry forms, or supporting travel documents.
• Known Traveler Number: Add your KTN before check-in if you are enrolled in TSA PreCheck.

How to Create an American Airlines Account

You do not need an American Airlines account to check in. You can continue as a guest and retrieve a trip with the passenger’s last name and six-letter confirmation code.

An account can still make future trips easier. Visit the official AAdvantage enrollment page and enter the requested name, contact, and login information. After creating the account, you can save traveler details, manage reservations, track your miles, and store your KTN in the Secure Traveler section.

Use the same full name and date of birth shown on your identification. A mismatch between your account, reservation, and travel documents can interfere with check-in or TSA PreCheck eligibility.

How to Book Your Flight on American Airlines

You need a confirmed reservation before you can receive a boarding pass. You can book through the American Airlines website, mobile app, a travel agency, or another authorized booking service.

When booking directly, enter your route, travel dates, and passenger information. Review the operating airline, fare rules, seat options, and baggage terms before paying. American offers fare types such as Basic Economy, Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business, and First, depending on the route and aircraft.

How to Check In Online for Your Flight

Online check-in is usually the quickest way to get an American Airlines boarding pass. It normally opens 24 hours before departure.

1. Open the official American Airlines online check-in page.
2. Enter the passenger’s last name and six-letter confirmation code, or log in to your AAdvantage account.
3. Review the itinerary and passenger information.
4. Confirm or change your seat when the reservation permits it.
5. Add checked bags or other available services.
6. Complete check-in and choose a boarding-pass option.
7. Save the pass in the app or digital wallet, email it to your device, or print it.

You can also access trips connected to your AAdvantage account and use your account details to manage reservations or review AAdvantage bookings.

American Airlines Check-In and Boarding Deadlines

Boarding ending 15 minutes before departure does not mean you should arrive at the gate 15 minutes early. American recommends reaching the gate 30 minutes before a domestic flight or 45 minutes before an international flight.

How to Use the American Airlines Mobile App

The American Airlines app is available for iOS and Android. You can use it to retrieve reservations, check in, view boarding information, receive flight updates, manage seats, add bags, and store a mobile boarding pass.

After checking in, open the trip and select the boarding-pass option. Make sure the full barcode is visible before presenting your phone at security or the gate. You can also add the pass to a supported digital wallet for easier access and updated flight information.

How to Print Your Boarding Pass at Home

After completing online check-in, choose the print option and open the printable boarding pass. Use plain white paper and make sure the barcode, passenger name, flight information, and seat assignment are clear.

A printed copy can help if your phone battery dies, your screen breaks, or your departure airport does not accept mobile boarding passes. Gate information can change after printing, so confirm the current gate in the app, on airport displays, or with an airline employee.

How to Use a Self-Service Kiosk at the Airport

American Airlines self-service kiosks can retrieve your trip, check you in when eligible, print your boarding pass, print bag tags, and provide available seat options.

1. Find an American Airlines kiosk in the check-in area.
2. Scan an existing paper or mobile boarding pass, enter the six-letter confirmation code, or enter your AAdvantage number.
3. Select the correct trip and passengers.
4. Confirm the flight details and complete check-in if required.
5. Add or confirm checked bags when available.
6. Print the boarding pass and any bag tags.
7. Take tagged checked luggage to the designated bag-drop counter.

If the kiosk cannot find your trip or complete check-in, take your identification and travel documents to an American Airlines agent.

How to Get Your Boarding Pass at the Ticket Counter

Visit the ticket counter when you need personal assistance or cannot finish check-in online, in the app, or at a kiosk. This option is especially useful for travelers with pets, special-assistance requests, document checks, unaccompanied minors, complicated itineraries, or reservations that require an agent’s review.

Show your accepted identification, confirmation code, and any required international documents. The agent can review the reservation, confirm document requirements, help with seating or baggage questions, and print the boarding pass.

Arrive well before the minimum airport deadline. Waiting in a ticket-counter line does not protect you from missing the required check-in or bag-acceptance time.

How to Get Your Boarding Pass by Email or Save It to Your Phone

American Airlines documents an “Email with Mobile” option for eligible mobile boarding passes. After checking in on aa.com, choose the mobile email option, open the message on your phone, and follow the link to display the boarding pass.

Save the pass to your device or supported digital wallet before going to the airport. Make sure the complete barcode is visible when you reach security and the boarding gate.

TSA PreCheck and Your Boarding Pass

If you are enrolled in TSA PreCheck, add your Known Traveler Number or eligible PASS ID to your reservation before checking in.

AAdvantage members can save the number in the Secure Traveler section of their profiles. Travelers without an AAdvantage account can add it to an individual reservation:

1. Find the trip on aa.com or in the American app.
2. Open the passenger-information section.
3. Select the editing option.
4. Open Security Information.
5. Enter the KTN or PASS ID and save the change.

If you are eligible for TSA PreCheck on that flight, the indicator should appear on the printed or mobile boarding pass. A saved KTN does not by itself guarantee expedited screening on every trip.

If Something Goes Wrong

You Cannot Check In on the App

The app may redirect you to aa.com or require airport assistance in certain situations. Examples can include:

• Your first flight is operated by another airline.
• You are traveling with a pet or firearm.
• The reservation includes an unaccompanied minor.
• You are traveling with an infant under age two.
• You do not yet have a seat assignment.
• The airline needs to inspect passports, visas, or other documents.
• You are outside the permitted check-in window.

Try aa.com first. If online check-in still fails, arrive early and visit a kiosk or ticket counter.

Your Reservation Does Not Appear

Confirm that you entered the passenger’s last name exactly as booked and used American’s six-letter confirmation code rather than a travel agency’s separate reference number. A partner-operated flight may require check-in with the operating airline.

You Cannot Get a Mobile Boarding Pass

Your departure or connecting airport may not accept mobile passes, or the reservation may require an agent or document check. Print the pass at home, use an airport kiosk, or visit the ticket counter.

Your Phone Has No Signal or Battery

Open and save the pass before leaving for the airport. If you cannot access it, use a kiosk or ask an agent to print a replacement. Carrying a paper backup can help on trips with long connections or limited charging access.

TSA PreCheck Is Missing

Check that the KTN, full name, and date of birth match your trusted-traveler record. Add or correct the KTN in the reservation, then obtain a new boarding pass. If the indicator still does not appear, use the standard security lane or ask American and TSA for assistance.

You Lost Your Boarding Pass

Open the trip again in the app, return to aa.com, print a replacement at a kiosk, or ask an American Airlines agent. A boarding pass is not a one-time document, so losing the first copy does not automatically cancel your check-in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a boarding pass?

A boarding pass is the airline document used to pass through airport security when applicable and board the aircraft. It normally displays the passenger name, flight number, boarding information, seat assignment, and scannable barcode.

How do I get an American Airlines boarding pass?

Check in on aa.com or in the American app, then save, email, add to a digital wallet, or print the pass. You can also print one at an airport kiosk or request one from a ticket-counter agent.

What information do I need to retrieve my boarding pass?

You normally need the passenger’s last name and six-letter American Airlines confirmation code. You can also log in to an AAdvantage account connected to the reservation. Bring accepted identification and any required international documents to the airport.

Do I need an AAdvantage account to check in?

No. You can continue as a guest and find the reservation with the passenger’s last name and six-letter confirmation code. An account simply makes it easier to display connected trips and save traveler information.

Can I use a mobile American Airlines boarding pass?

Yes, at most supported airports. Display the complete barcode at security and at the gate. Check the airport details for every departure and connection because some locations require a printed pass.

Can I print my American Airlines boarding pass?

Yes. Print it at home after online check-in, use an American Airlines self-service kiosk, or ask an agent at the ticket counter. Make sure the barcode and passenger information are clear.

When does American Airlines online check-in close?

The general online and app deadline is 45 minutes before a domestic flight and 90 minutes before an international flight. Airport check-in and bag deadlines differ, and some airports require earlier check-in.

Does TSA PreCheck appear on a mobile boarding pass?

It should appear on a printed or mobile pass when your KTN is correctly attached and you are eligible for TSA PreCheck on that flight. If you add the KTN after check-in, retrieve a new boarding pass.

Why can’t I check in online or in the app?

Possible reasons include a partner-operated first flight, travel with a pet or firearm, an unaccompanied minor, an infant, no seat assignment, document checks, or attempting check-in outside the allowed window. Try aa.com or visit an airport agent.

What should I do if I lose my boarding pass?

Retrieve it again in the app or on aa.com, print a new copy at a kiosk, or ask an American Airlines representative. Losing a copy does not normally cancel your completed check-in.

Start Your Trip Without the Stress

You do not need to choose one boarding-pass format for every trip. Use the website or app when online check-in is available, save a digital copy for convenience, and print a paper backup when your airport or travel situation calls for one.

The most important steps are to check airport-specific deadlines, arrive at the gate well before boarding ends, carry the correct identification and travel documents, and confirm that your boarding pass shows the right passenger, flight, seat, and TSA PreCheck information before entering security.

Sources

1. American Airlines Check-In and Arrival — online, airport, baggage, and airport-specific check-in deadlines
2. American Airlines Mobile Boarding Pass — mobile-pass delivery, use, storage, and airport availability
3. American Airlines Self-Service Kiosks — trip retrieval, boarding-pass printing, bag tags, and kiosk functions
4. American Airlines Website, Mobile, and App FAQs — app check-in eligibility and common limitations
5. American Airlines TSA PreCheck Guidance — adding a KTN and replacing a pass after updating it
6. TSA Acceptable Identification — documents accepted at TSA security checkpoints