Quicker on board – with or without baggage Save valuable time with your mobile boarding pass: if you are travelling with carry-on baggage only, you can go straight to security and then proceed to your gate.

Not necessarily. While having a boarding pass is a major step, whether you can go straight to the gate depends on a few key factors, primarily related to your departure airport and destination.

Here’s a breakdown of when you can go straight to the gate and when you can’t:

You can often go straight to the gate if:

1. You have only carry-on luggage. If you don’t need to check any bags, you can typically proceed through security directly to your gate.
2. You are flying domestically (within the same country). At many airports, especially with mobile boarding passes, you can go from the entrance to security to the gate.
3. You have already checked in online and have your boarding pass (digital or printed).

You usually CANNOT go straight to the gate and must stop first if:

1. You need to check baggage. You must visit the airline’s check-in counter or a baggage drop kiosk first. You cannot take checked bags through security.
2. You are on an international flight. For international departures, you almost always must present your passport and often your visa at the airline check-in counter for document verification before you’re allowed to proceed to security. This is a critical security step.
3. You are traveling from an airport that requires re-confirmation or additional security screening for certain destinations. Some airports have specific rules for flights to countries like the US, UK, or Israel, where you may need to go to a special counter or secondary screening point before the gate.
4. You need special assistance (e.g., traveling with an infant,