The most valuable thing a person has is time. People live by counting minutes and adding them into years. They are undergoing treatment in an attempt to prolong their life. They come up with new technologies to keep up with the times. When the airplane was invented, it became possible to quickly travel from one continent to another. People not only save minutes on the road, they have learned to reduce all preparatory processes. Buying an electronic plane ticket is one of them.

Not everyone knows what an electronic plane ticket looks like. Travelers who fly infrequently do not know how to use it. From a legal point of view, it is an agreement that sets out the airline’s obligations to the passenger to provide transportation services. The rules for using such a ticket are simple.

The concept of an electronic air ticket - e-ticket

All major world air carriers, including Russian Aeroflot, use this type of ticket. Mass use of the system began in 2008; to date, the electronic form has practically replaced the standard paper form.

To understand what an e-ticket is, you don’t need to be an air travel expert. This is the storage in the airline database of information about a specific passenger who paid for a specific flight. This is an electronic code in the reservation system that has no paper counterpart. The client receives an itinerary receipt on a regular A4 sheet of paper, where all the details of the future flight are indicated. This is what you print out to present at the airport.

What data is displayed in the route sheet? The receipt form does not have strict design rules; each airline has its own form. The general view and list of information is always the same:

  1. Passenger's passport details. The passenger's first and last name is indicated at the top of the sheet;

Important! When you independently issue an electronic air ticket through online services, carefully enter your passport details. There should be no errors or inaccuracies. The use of a ticket with errors in personal information is not allowed.

  1. Flight number. A combination of letters and numbers or numbers only, indicating a direction;
  2. Time and date of departure. This information is displayed in tabular form next to the flight number and departure and arrival airports;
  3. Airline name. Standardly indicated at the top of the receipt;
  4. Departure and destination airports. In addition to the city name, the IATA airport code may be indicated;
  5. Exact flight time. This information is displayed next to the departure and arrival times;
  6. E-ticket number. Important part of the document. It is the number, which consists of 13 digits, that is needed in order to verify the authenticity of the ticket;
  7. Booking code. It usually consists of letters and numbers, no more than 7 characters. It allows you to check the activity of the itinerary receipt, because sometimes the flight can be canceled or rescheduled.

Checking your e-ticket

Verification is necessary so that you can use your electronic plane ticket without unexpected incidents. Two easy ways to ensure your data is accurate:

  1. Through the website of the airline that operates the flight.
    To check the data, you need to go to the airline's website. Here you need to find the “reservation search” section. In the electronic form that opens, enter the passenger's last name and reservation code. The request will provide complete information about the future flight. This is how the search is configured on the Aeroflot website;
  2. Through the airline ticket booking program. The flight can also be checked through the website of the company that made the reservation. There are many online services that perform this operation.

The most common are “Amadeus”, “Galileo”, “Gabriel”, “Sabre”. The receipt usually indicates the reservation system through which the reservation was made. As a last resort, the ticket contains a help desk number, by calling which you can find out the name of the program. The next step is to visit the operator’s website, enter the reservation code and personal data of the client. If all the specified manipulations are performed correctly, a window with information about the flight will open in front of the passenger. In this section, the client can make changes, add information about preferred meals, children's menus, desired places, and make additional payments.


Advantages of an electronic ticket

Using such a ticket is much more convenient and simpler. There is more red tape with a standard paper receipt, as it can be lost or damaged.

  • With an electronic flight pass, you don’t have to worry about its safety. Information entered into the database once and for all can be printed many times. How to use it? The itinerary receipt can be saved in PDF format on any storage medium: computer, removable hard drive, flash card, smartphone, laptop, tablet. Some airlines do not even require a printed version of the ticket; the image on the device screen will suffice. This applies to domestic flights within Russia by the air carrier Aeroflot and many others;
  • Another important advantage of this ticket is the speed of registration and receipt. In a matter of minutes, with a few clicks of the mouse, people choose a financially advantageous flight or airline, confirm their personal data and make payment. There is no need to go to the airline or intermediary office. The itinerary receipt will be sent to the client's email within 24 hours. In practice, it arrives faster; an interval of a day is indicated in case of unforeseen circumstances. How to print an e-ticket and save it on your device? You need to use standard operating system commands: CTRL+P (print) or CTRL+S (save);

Note! If after the specified period you have not received your ticket, you must immediately contact the company's help desk.


  • The payment method through online systems makes it possible to pay not only with a bank card. Large booking systems allow you to make transfers in payment systems Yandex.Money, Webmoney, Qiwi Wallet, PayPal and others;
  • Many people use self-purchase of an electronic ticket because they get the opportunity to choose the best offer from different airlines. By sending a request to search engines, the passenger compares the best prices and fares, determined by the date, number of transfers;
  • Any person who knows how to buy an electronic ticket can do it for others: friends, acquaintances, relatives, and the secretary can do it for his boss. All you need is your passport details and exact dates;
  • Such a ticket can be exchanged or returned under general conditions.

Important! The conditions for returning or exchanging an electronic ticket depend on the requirements of the selected booking fare.

Rules for using an electronic receipt

A common question that arises after a passenger has received an electronic plane ticket is how to use it. Having a printed version in hand (it is recommended to print the e-ticket just in case, even if the airline assures that this is not necessary), you need to show it at the check-in counter at the airport.

Check-in with Aeroflot usually begins 2 hours before departure on domestic flights and 3 hours on external flights. These time frames are generally accepted by most air carriers. Along with the itinerary receipt, you will need an original passport, birth certificate or foreign passport for minors.


There is also a service that allows you to check in for a flight via the Internet. This is very convenient and saves the passenger's time.

Additional Information. For people traveling for business purposes, proof of the financial costs of the trip is required. The company's accounting department provides an electronic ticket and boarding passes, so you should not lose or throw them away.

Conditions for return/exchange of electronic receipt

Sometimes you have to cancel planned trips and urgently change plans. Air tickets purchased in advance can be returned or the departure date can be rescheduled.

What should I do to return my e-ticket? You must contact the airline or fill out a special return form on the carrier’s website. An electronic ticket is no different from a standard ticket, so the general refund rules apply to it. There are two options for returning or exchanging air tickets: voluntary and forced. Aeroflot has refundable fares, non-refundable and refundable with a fine.


Voluntary refund implies agreement with the rules and requirements of the fare under which the ticket was purchased. There are also non-refundable fares, the cost of which is not refundable in case of flight cancellation. Different rates have different conditions, it is important to read them carefully before booking.

A general pattern that is worth paying attention to: the cheaper the air ticket, the more unfavorable for the passenger the conditions for its return or exchange.

An involuntary return allows the customer to claim their money, even if the rate is non-refundable. The grounds for forced return are:

  • Flight cancellation, transfer to another date, delay for more than 8 hours due to the fault of the air carrier;
  • Death of the intended passenger or death of his next of kin;
  • Change of aircraft, which entailed a change in class of service.

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Travel should be enjoyable, no matter what your purpose. And it begins not with the plane, but with the purchase of a ticket. Ordering an electronic ticket is the best way to quickly and easily select the best offer and reserve the best seat on the aircraft in the shortest possible time.