tarjeta de embarque
nounCEFR B1
What does “tarjeta de embarque” mean in English?
boarding pass
boarding pass (document entitling a passenger to board a specific flight)
Example sentences
Habría podido pasar el control si hubiera descargado la tarjeta de embarque antes de que se me acabara la batería del móvil, pero no había wifi en el taxi y no pude hacerlo.
I could have gone through security if I had downloaded the boarding pass before my phone battery ran out, but there was no wifi in the taxi and I couldn't do it.
La azafata me pidió que le mostrara la tarjeta de embarque y el pasaporte en la puerta, aunque yo ya los había presentado en el control de seguridad veinte minutos antes.
The flight attendant asked me to show the boarding pass and passport at the gate, even though I had already presented them at the security check twenty minutes earlier.
How to use it
Tarjeta de embarque is the fixed term for 'boarding pass'. Both words are essential: tarjeta (card) + de embarque (of boarding; from embarcar, to board). Neither word can be dropped in formal or signage contexts. In speech, some travellers say 'el embarque' informally to mean the boarding pass or the boarding process, but tarjeta de embarque is the standard. At B1, learners should control the collocations: mostrar/enseñar/presentar la tarjeta de embarque, and descargar/imprimir la tarjeta de embarque.
Common mistake
Do not say 'pase de abordar' in Spain — that form is used in Mexico and parts of Latin America. 'Tarjeta de embarque' is the universal peninsular term, though 'pase de abordar' is understood. In European travel contexts, always use tarjeta de embarque.