Can I print my e-tickets later?

OKay...I am travel ignorant.  I've only booked travel arrangements once in my life.  Every other time I traveled was for business and I never was the one to book. 

Anyway, it seems my little man has stuck a ritz cracker in my printer and the paper will not feed.  I have been working on this for hours.  I have not finalized anything because I don't want 5400 to go down the toilet. If I book and pay can I print my e tickets later?  I could go to mom's house 2.5 miles from here to print them off but I know she's been crying all morning...sigh.

Hiya Julie
In my experience. ( I travel/book my own flights every year)
You can print them out when ever you want to. The night before if you want to. Most of the airlines will let you check in online now as well that usually can only be done 24 hours before departure.
As long as you have paid for the tickets the receipt that they send you has all the codes/info. So its just a matter of printing them out when you want to.
I usally just print them out the day before. That way im less likely to loose em . Saying that as long as you keep the email you can re-print when you want to as well.
Hope that alleviates some of your worry ..
I'm sure others will chime in as well.
Kay

No, you do have to print your boarding pass at the time of purchase. Most airlines (other than budget ones such as EasyJet and Ryanair) will have a kiosk at the airport where you can print your boarding pass.  

(btw, I certainly hope that the 5400 is a typo and you arent paying that for your ticket!!)

I've always printed mine the day before (like Kaylesh says...because I'm highly likely to lose it).  I guess it really just depends on where you are buying the tickets from.  I usually use a site such as expedia, orbitz, etc...and with all of those sites you can log in to your account at anytime and print the page you need for travel (it's just basically your itinerary with a confirmation code and a few other bits of info). 

I've never been able to do the online check-in or the kiosk check-in at the airport due to having an American passport and being a UK resident (the system just won't accept this as being valid).  I'm sure that depends on what airline you are flying with but I've always had to go to the counter.

In my experience, check-in staff rarely look at your e-ticket.  They just take your passport to get your name, and look up your booking on their computer.  So in a pinch, you might be able to get away with not printing them.  That's not the best option, but if you have no way to print, well...

I've never been able to do the online check-in or the kiosk check-in at the airport due to having an American passport and being a UK resident (the system just won't accept this as being valid).  I'm sure that depends on what airline you are flying with but I've always had to go to the counter.

Hmmm, I've never had this problem.  How does the system know you're resident in the UK and why does it care?  I always check in at the kiosk (which also doesn't check your e-ticket, just your passport) and when I flew to France a few weeks ago, I checked in online, no problem.  

No, you do have to print your boarding pass at the time of purchase. Most airlines (other than budget ones such as EasyJet and Ryanair) will have a kiosk at the airport where you can print your boarding pass.  

(btw, I certainly hope that the 5400 is a typo and you arent paying that for your ticket!!)

That's for a family of 5 one way...EEEK!  That would have to be super ultra celebrity first class for one.  LOL

Something just occured to me that I read on earlier on British Airways:  Economy is called World Traveller.  The features in the little paragraphs explaining the services cites "complimentary drinks."  Yeah...They read my mind.

BTW don't most airlines provided complimentary alcoholic bev. on long haul flights?  I've only flown BA abroad, and they kept it coming for my husband....LOL!

Something just occured to me that I read on earlier on British Airways:  Economy is called World Traveller.  The features in the little paragraphs explaining the services cites "complimentary drinks."  Yeah...They read my mind.

BTW don't most airlines provided complimentary alcoholic bev. on long haul flights?  I've only flown BA abroad, and they kept it coming for my husband....LOL!

Nope not standard. I fly United exclusively as they're one of the only ones flying direct to San Francisco from LHR and they give complementary sodas, juice, water, coffee & tea but you have to pay for 'adult beverages' and I believe that most airlines are this way now. Best to check what is listed under 'complementary drinks' as you may find it doesn't include alcohol.

Nearly all airlines used to give complimentary drinks (alcoholic and non-) on international flights, but that's long since gone the way of the dodo, along with meals on short haul flights and just about every other perk or luxury they could think of, including pillows, blankets, leg room, and dignity.   

That's for a family of 5 one way...EEEK!  That would have to be super ultra celebrity first class for one.  LOL

Something just occured to me that I read on earlier on British Airways:  Economy is called World Traveller.  The features in the little paragraphs explaining the services cites "complimentary drinks."  Yeah...They read my mind.

BTW don't most airlines provided complimentary alcoholic bev. on long haul flights?  I've only flown BA abroad, and they kept it coming for my husband....LOL!

With BA long haul flights they still do give complimentary alcohol..they are one of the only ones that do...

On the way back from Houston we always upgrade to World Traveller Plus (premium economy) at check in...so much cheaper!!!


Also I believe one of the low cost carriers (not sure if it is Easy Jet or Ryan Air) but they do charge you extra if you show up at the check in desk without printing your ticket off before hand..plus they charge you for printing it off as well!

Hmmm, I've never had this problem.  How does the system know you're resident in the UK and why does it care?  I always check in at the kiosk (which also doesn't check your e-ticket, just your passport) and when I flew to France a few weeks ago, I checked in online, no problem.  

Acutally I mis-spoke because I didn't have trouble checking in at the kiosk when leaving the UK.  It was when I left the US that I had issues.  I was told by the airline staff that the system won't accept my flight plan because I have no return ticket to the US (it recognizes a US passport and believes you live there so your journey should end there) so they had to override the system.  This happened with UA a week ago (when I was flying home to the UK on my return ticket) and with Delta when I moved to the UK (on a one-way ticket).

I also don't remember having any trouble checking in at the kiosk in the US when I had a return ticket (when I came to visit my hubby in the past).

BTW don't most airlines provided complimentary alcoholic bev. on long haul flights?  I've only flown BA abroad, and they kept it coming for my husband....LOL!

I've flown with UA, Delta and Lufthansa and none of them gave free alcoholic drinks.   

In the past few months, I have flown BA and KLM Dutch going to and from the US and both have free alcoholic beverages.

Virgin, Lufthansa... many still provide alcoholic drinks and snacks.

RyanAir is the airline you have to print your tickets before you arrive at the airport or face a £40 fee at the airport.

Acutally I mis-spoke because I didn't have trouble checking in at the kiosk when leaving the UK.  It was when I left the US that I had issues.  I was told by the airline staff that the system won't accept my flight plan because I have no return ticket to the US (it recognizes a US passport and believes you live there so your journey should end there) so they had to override the system.  This happened with UA a week ago (when I was flying home to the UK on my return ticket) and with Delta when I moved to the UK (on a one-way ticket).

I also don't remember having any trouble checking in at the kiosk in the US when I had a return ticket (when I came to visit my hubby in the past).

I've flown with UA, Delta and Lufthansa and none of them gave free alcoholic drinks.   

Glad you mispoke because this gives me an opportunity to ask yet another question 

All my family is flying out on UK passports except me, of course.  I am purchasing one way tickets only because it is the nearly the same after taxes.  Given what you said, is it best that I just purchase round trip?  Or is it just the same when I leave from DFW that they do a system override?

Virgin has a brilliant selection of (complimentary) alcoholic drinks.  I had a Baileys over ice last time, twas lovely 

You don't need to purchase round-trip tickets just because you have a US passport with a visa. The issue with checking in is really not a big deal at all. If you are planning to return to the US for a visit, it may be better to get a round-trip ticket, simply because you'll get two flights rather than just one for the same price.