Hidden Boarding Pass Perks You Probably Never Knew Existed

You can score free ski tickets, free wine tastings, discounted museum tickets, and more. Who knew?

© Getty
Geneva airport, Switzerland, E-ticket boarding pass on smartphone . (Photo by: BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)

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Don’t be so hasty to discard or delete that airline boarding pass. Its value is not just in getting you from A to B; it could also unlock a wide range of money-saving perks when you reach your destination.

While you should always tear up a boarding pass and throw it away once you get home because it contains a lot of personal data that could end up in the wrong hands, there are several reasons why you should hang onto it at least for a bit. For one, it’s important to keep your boarding pass until your frequent flyer miles post because sometimes loyalty programs will want to see it in order to issue missing credit.

Another reason not to ditch your boarding pass right away is that many airlines around the world have developed partnerships with restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions that offer discounts to travelers who flash their travel documents from a recent flight.

Here are some of the best boarding pass perks available, listed by airline.

Air Asia

This low-fare airline offers travelers further discountswhen they show their boarding passes or bag tags from recent flights

© Courtesy of Squaw Valley Skiers and snowboarders will get a free lift ticket at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe when they flash a boarding pass that shows they flew in the same day.

. There is an extensive range of participating shops in many of the airline’s destinations across Asia and the opportunity to get a 25 percent discount at the Everland theme park in South Korea.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska has one of the richest boarding pass perk programs especially when it comes tofree or discounted lift tickets at many ski destinations, including at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe, California; Big White Ski Resort in BC, Canada; Steamboat Resort in Colorado; Sun Valley in Idaho; and Utah’s Snowbasin. Alaska Airlines mileage plan members can also enjoy free wine tastings by presenting an in-bound boarding pass at numerous wineries throughoutOregon andWashington.

Alitalia

Fly this SkyTeam airline anduse your boarding pass for discounts in Rome at numerous museums and galleries. There are also savings available for the Roma Pass tourist card, which offers discounts at some of the city’s most popular sites, plus access to public transportation. And it’s not just in Rome where the Alitalia boarding pass is of value. Numerous Italian destinations offer perks and promotions to Alitalia travelers, including the National Automobile Museum in Turin and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

Asiana Airlines

Asiana has benefits available to flyers for up to one week following their flight through itsMagic Boarding Pass program. Many of the perks and discounts from this generous program can be used as far out as one month after the travel date. These include saving money at theme parks, rental car companies, restaurants, breweries, wineries, and hotels, among many other venues.

British Airways

Save money or receive gifts at various shops in London (including at the Westfield and Bicester Village shopping centers) when showing your British Airways boarding pass or Executive Club membership at the cash register. There are also special rates for afternoon tea or free glasses of champagne at various hotels, including Hotel Café Royal and St. James Hotel and Club. Residents of the United Kingdom are unfortunately exempt from these benefits, however.

Etihad Airways

Etihad has worked with various Abu Dhabi restaurants, attractions, and retailers to have them provide a discount to passengers who show their boarding pass when visiting. TheExtraordinary Abu Dhabi Pass, as the benefit is called, is also good for discounts to local golf courses (15 percent off at a few listed courses), the new Louvre Abu Dhabi museum (where you can get 20 percent off), and for nearly half off at the observation deck atop the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.

Garuda Indonesia

Thanks to thisBoarding Pass True Value program, travelers can show their Garuda boarding pass as long as a week after their flight to receive discounts at places like duty-free shops, fashion outlets, restaurants, hotels, and travel agencies, among others.

Korean Air

TheExcellent Boarding Pass program from Korean Air also offers perks up to seven days following your flight. This can include discounts at a surprisingly large number of places like cinemas, hotels, museums, and outlet malls in global cities that span from Honolulu to Singapore, Sydney to Vladivostok.

Singapore Airlines

Arguably a pioneer in the boarding pass perks arena, Singapore was one of the first airlines to offer such benefits and has one of the lengthiest rosters of cities where benefits apply. Its partner airline Silk Air also participates in the same program. TheBoarding Pass Privileges program evolves frequently with new partners constantly being added. It includes dining, shopping, tourist attractions, and airport transit, and there is aspecial section with flash deals that offers things such as two-for-one dining offers and extra amusement park passes.

Thai Airways

TheThai Airways Boarding Pass Privilege program provides discounts at international department stores and offers a tax refund on some purchases.

WestJet

There are also discounts available at the airport. WestJet passengers receive a 20 percent discount when purchasingaccess to a Plaza Premium Lounge in Canada. Of course,if you have a credit card with Priority Pass, you may already get free access to these lounges.

Ski Destinations Offer Boarding Pass Benefits, Too

In an effort to encourage people to fly into certain regional airports, some ski destinations offer perks for travelers who present boarding passes with the local airport code. These includeLake Tahoe (where many of the ski resorts offer travelers free lift tickets the same day they fly in), andSteamboat Springs, Colorado (which offers free night skiing on the day of their arrival to travelers flying into Yampa Valley Regional Airport).