Someone you love is leaving. Maybe it is a new job across the country, a year abroad, a move to be near family, or the adventure of a lifetime. Before the suitcases close, they deserve a proper send-off. This going-away party invitation is designed as a boarding pass, because every great farewell is really the start of a new journey.
Boarding Pass, Gate and Stub
The card is landscape, 7 x 5 inches. A cream ticket with rounded corners sits on a pale aqua background, just like a boarding pass on a desk. A navy header strip runs across the top, with a small white plane icon, Bon Voyage Airlines in white capitals, and Boarding pass on the right.
The main part of the ticket lists the passenger’s name, Daniel Reyes, in bold condensed Oswald lettering. Below it, the route is shown with big airport codes, CHI for Chicago and LIS for Lisbon, joined by a red flight line with a little red plane. The flight details follow: BOARDING (Fri, May 29, 7 PM), GATE (The Tap Room, 15 Pier St), and SEAT (Any.First round is on us). A red italic line at the bottom invites everyone to come say goodbye before he flies off to Lisbon!
A dashed perforation line with two semicircle notches separates the main ticket from the stub on the right. The stub repeats FAREWELL PARTY in red Oswald capitals, the passenger’s name, the date and venue, and the RSVP number, above a navy barcode. The OTO logo sits at the bottom of the stub.
Filling In Every Field
The fun of a boarding pass invitation is in the details. Here is what each field can hold, with some playful alternatives.
| Field | Sample | What else to write |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger | Daniel Reyes | The guest of honour, or our favourite neighbour |
| From and to codes | CHI to LIS | Real airport codes, or fun ones like OFC to BCH (office to beach) |
| Boarding | Fri, May 29, 7 PM | Your party date and time |
| Gate | The Tap Room, 15 Pier St | The venue and address |
| Seat | Any. | |
| First round is on us | Window seat by the bar, Standing room only, Next to the cake | |
| Airline name | Bon Voyage Airlines | Farewell Air, Adventure Airways, or the guest’s initials plus Air |
Every field is regular text: double-click and type. The airport codes are especially fun to personalise.
More Than Moving Abroad
A boarding pass suits any farewell where someone is flying off to something new, literally or not:
- Relocation: moving to another city or country for work or family.
- Retirement:Destination: Endless Weekends. A playful twist on a retirement party.
- Leaving a job: a colleague moving on, with Gate: Conference Room B.
- Study abroad or university: a send-off for a student heading to college.
- Military deployment: a heartfelt send-off with family and friends.
- Bon voyage party: before a honeymoon, sabbatical, or round-the-world trip.
Party Ideas for a Proper Send-Off
Lean into the travel theme. Decorate with maps, globes, paper planes and luggage tags. Serve food from the destination: for Lisbon, custard tarts and grilled sardines; for Tokyo, sushi and mochi. Set up a departures board with photos from the guest of honour’s time in your city. A memory book where guests write their favourite story and contact details makes a treasured farewell gift. A world map where everyone pins where they will visit next is a sweet reminder that goodbyes are not forever.
Restyling the Ticket
The navy header, red accents, and aqua background give the card a crisp airline feel, but you can match any colour scheme. Select the header strip to change navy to a brand colour, or recolour the red accents to gold or green. The plane icons are editable vectors that pick up any colour you choose. The barcode is a single grouped object, purely decorative, so it can be recoloured or moved. Fonts are Oswald for the big headings and Montserrat for the field labels and details, both in the editor’s list.
Writing the Goodbye Message
The red italic line at the bottom of the ticket is the place for personality. Keep it short enough to fit on one or two lines. Some ideas:
- Come say goodbye before he flies off to Lisbon!
- Not goodbye, just see you later.
- One last round before she trades rain for sunshine.
- Help us send off our favourite colleague in style.
A Farewell Gift from Everyone
Group gifts make a send-off memorable and practical. Pass around a card or an envelope at the party, or collect contributions in advance through a group message. Good farewell gifts are light enough to pack: a framed group photo from the party, a guidebook and a gift card for the destination, a scrapbook of notes from colleagues or friends, a travel journal, or a personalised luggage tag with the same Bon Voyage Airlines name as the invitation. For someone moving far away, a digital photo frame preloaded with pictures from home is a thoughtful touch that keeps everyone close.
Printing the Pass
Download the PDF and print on a smooth, sturdy card, around 300 gsm. Trim to 7 x 5 inches. For an extra authentic touch, you can use a perforating tool along the dashed line so guests can tear off the stub. For office farewells and long-distance friends, download a PNG or JPG and send it by email or message; it looks great on phones.
Farewell Party Questions
How far ahead should I send the invitation?
Two to three weeks before the party, and at least a week before the person leaves.
Is it a surprise?
Going-away parties are often a surprise. Add Shh, it’s a surprise! in the goodbye line.
Who pays at a bar?
The sample’s First round is on us sets clear expectations. Adjust to Cash bar or Drinks provided as needed.
Can I use real airport codes?
Yes. Three-letter airport codes are public and make the card feel authentic.
Fill in the passenger, the route, and the gate, and send the pass to everyone who should be there. Bon voyage, and keep in touch.
