Southwest Says So Long to Ticket Jackets, Ending Era Among US Airlines
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Another once-iconic part of the air travel experience is set to fade into the history books.
That will come Saturday, when Southwest Airlines does away with its ticket jackets. The story was first reported by USA Today.
Ticket jackets were once a staple of air travel. The paper document holders harken back to an earlier age of flying, one that came before electronic tickets and flimsy boarding passes printed out from self-service kiosks.
Introduced decades ago, ticket jackets helped travelers protect their airline tickets at a time when they were issued on paper and not easily replaced if lost.
Today, travelers have little need for the jackets. Many now use digital boarding passes stored on their smartphones. And those paper boarding passes used to board at the gate are now are easily replaceable, with customers’ actual ticket information typically stored electronically in airline reservation systems.
Southwest confirmed its plan to The Points Guy, saying ticket jackets will be eliminated June 1. The company had been issuing about 22 million ticket jackets a year.
“We are constantly studying ways to reduce waste, use less paper, and ultimately become a greener company,” Southwest spokesman Dan Landson says in a statement to TPG.
He acknowledged changing technology and customer preferences also played a role.
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in the number of customers using mobile boarding passes and thus not using ticket jackets as much as in years past,” Landson said. “Through this change in behavior, we feel like we’ve reached a good point to transition away from paper ticket jackets.”
Southwest had been the last major US carrier to offer ticket jackets, according to USA Today’s Dawn Gilbertson.
She says United eliminated its ticket jackets in the early 2000s while others – including American and Spirit – offered them as recently as five years ago.
Now, with the retirement of ticket jackets at Southwest, the aviation industry will have another relic from a bygone era to appreciate.
Featured image: Tim Boyle/Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
- Accelerate your path to Medallion Status, with Status Boost®. Plus, in 2021 you can earn even more bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) to help you reach Medallion Status.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.