Three Ways to Check In
- Passport (when traveling internationally)
- Flight information. Paper ticket (less and less common), OR. E-ticket with a confirmation number—usually sent via email if ticket is purchased online or through a travel agency, OR. Printed itinerary with a confirmation number.
Online Check-in for International Flights. Online check-in allows those who have reserved seats and completed the required information to check into their flight from 24 hours prior to departure. During this process, you can confirm or change seats and get a boarding pass.
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Online check-in makes the most sense when you do not want to spend a lot of time waiting at the airport. Especially people who are only traveling with hand luggage can save a lot of time this way.
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When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
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Boarding passes are provided directly by the airline after checking in for your flight. If the airline you're flying with offers online check-in 24 hours before departure time, you can usually print your boarding passes directly from the website or have them sent directly to your phone!
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When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
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How it Works
- Apply Online. Submit an online application in 5 minutes & schedule an appointment at any of 500+ enrollment centers.
- Enroll in person. 10-min in-person appointment that includes fingerprinting for a background check.
- Travel with Ease.
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Depending on the requirements of airport authorities, you will need to present a mobile boarding pass, a paper boarding pass printed out by you or a paper boarding pass picked up from the check-in desk.
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If you don't check in, you won't receive a boarding pass that allows you to board the plane, and your seat might be given up to a standby passenger. The check-in process also confirms your traveler details like your passport information and frequent flyer number.
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In most cases, you will only need to go to check-in when you have checked-in online if you need to drop off an item of hold baggage. Please ensure that you are aware of the hand baggage requirements for your specific airline before you travel.
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Online Check-in for International Flights. Online check-in allows those who have reserved seats and completed the required information to check into their flight from 24 hours prior to departure. During this process, you can confirm or change seats and get a boarding pass.
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Yes. TSA PreCheck® is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States. If you travel internationally four or more times a year, consider enrolling in Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck®.
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TSA PreCheck is a domestic program that can only be utilized when traveling within the U.S. Since the five-year membership cost is slightly less expensive than a five-year Global Entry membership, this might be a better choice for someone that knows they won't be traveling internationally.
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One disadvantage is certainly that many people have poor time management and arrive too late at the airport if they check in online. For some, this can lead to unwanted time pressure. On the other hand, those who still have to check in at the airport itself usually arrive early enough and are therefore over-punctual.
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Do I need to print my boarding pass if I have a QR code? You shouldn't need to print your boarding pass out on paper as all of the needed information is available within the mobile version of the code, the airline's app, and the various emails they've sent you.
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You can print out your boarding pass prior to your arrival at the airport at home. You can also go to the airline's website and print out from there. You will need to enter the last name of the passenger traveling and confirmation number.
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Generally speaking, we like to err on the side of caution and suggest you print out your boarding pass, even if you already checked in online and have a mobile version on your phone.
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Online boarding pass will be delivered via email 24 hours prior to the departure flight. Online check-in is available for itineraries between 24 hours and 1 hour prior to your departure flight.
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What to Do After Online Check-In. Once you receive your electronic boarding pass, you can head straight to security if you're traveling carry-on only. If you're checking a bag, you'll still need to stop by the ticketing area at the airport. Look for special “bag drop” lines that bypass longer check-in lines.
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