What Is an E-Ticket?
Definition: An e-ticket (electronic ticket) is the record of a paid air ticket, identified by a 13-digit ticket number.
How e-tickets work
When a booking is ticketed, the airline creates an electronic ticket and links its number to the booking record (PNR). The first three digits of the ticket number identify the airline that issued it. There is no paper: the traveller checks in with their passport, and the airline finds the ticket in its system.
What travellers usually receive is an e-ticket receipt or itinerary: a document showing the ticket number, the record locator, the flights and the baggage allowance.
E-ticket vs PNR
| PNR | E-ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The reservation | Proof of payment for travel |
| Identifier | Record locator (about six characters) | Ticket number (13 digits) |
| Exists before payment? | Yes | No |
| Can be cancelled by the airline at the time limit? | Yes, if not ticketed | No, once valid |
A booking with a PNR but no ticket number is not confirmed travel.
Why it matters for travel agencies
Always check that every passenger has a ticket number before you tell a customer they are confirmed. Send the e-ticket receipt with the record locator and baggage allowance, so the traveller can manage check-in and answer questions at the airport.
Example
Hypothetical: a traveller calls from the airport saying the airline cannot find them. The agent reads out the 13-digit ticket number from the receipt, and check-in staff find the booking at once.
How QuickOTA handles e-tickets
In the QuickOTA B2B Panel, QuickOTA issues the ticket for your booking. Open the booking in My Bookings to download the e-ticket and send it to your traveller.