A paper ticket generally refers to a document created by an airline or a travel agent to confirm that an individual has purchased a seat on an airplane. This document is then used to obtain a boarding pass at the airport. Then with the boarding pass and the attached ticket, the passanger is allowed to board the aircraft.

A paper ticket is only good on the airline for which is was purchased. However, an airline can endorse the ticket so that it will be accepted by another airline, sometimes on standby basis or with a confirmed seat.

Usually the paper ticket is for a specific flight. It is also possible to purchase an 'open' ticket which allows travel an any flight between the destinations listed on the ticket. The cost for doing this is greater then a ticket for a specific flight.

Some tickets are refundable. However the lower cost tickets are usually not refundable and may carry many additional restrictions.

It is common for a travel to pay a surcharge for a paper ticket. Many airlines will no longer issue paper tickets.

A ticket is made up of one or more flight coupons . These flight coupons are the actual tickets that are used for travel. One flight coupon is used for each leg of the flight.

Only one person can use a ticket. If multiple people are traveling together, the tickets are linked together by have the same record locator or reservation number if they were purchased at the same time. If not, most airlines can connect the tickets togther in their reservation system. This allows all members in a party to be processed in a group allowing seat assignments to be together (if available at the time of the asignment).