How many hours ahead can I check in online?

You can usually check in online starting 24 hours before departure. If checking luggage, you will need to bring your luggage to a staffed counter or checked luggage station once you arrive at the airport. Benefits of online check-in: Avoid potential check-in lines at airport.



For the vast majority of major airlines in 2026, you can check in online starting 24 hours before your scheduled departure time. This is the standard window for carriers like Delta, United, and American Airlines. However, some international and low-cost airlines offer even more flexibility; for example, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Emirates often open their online check-in 48 hours in advance. Conversely, some smaller regional or budget carriers might only open the window 2-3 hours before the flight if you haven't purchased a seat assignment. Checking in as early as possible is highly recommended to secure your preferred seat, confirm your travel documents, and, in some cases, ensure you aren't "bumped" from an overbooked flight. The online check-in window typically "closes" between 60 and 90 minutes before the flight departs to allow the airline to finalize the manifest, so it is best to set an alarm for that 24-hour mark to streamline your airport experience.

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Check-in times You can check in online or from the app starting 24 hours before and up to 45 minutes before your flight (90 for international). To check bags or check in at the airport, you must be there a certain amount of time before scheduled departure: Within the U.S. – 45 minutes.

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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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The biggest benefit of checking in online is bypassing the lines at the airport. You can skip waiting in line to check in, then possibly–if the airline allows it for your flight–skip waiting in a second line to check your luggage, and instead head straight to security.

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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 lets you check in from your home or office and print your own boarding pass. You can also choose to have a link to your boarding pass emailed to your mobile device.

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Checking in for a flight early or late comes down to more personal preference than anything else. As long as you check in before the window closes, you'll (most likely) get a seat on the aircraft. But, being strategic, one way or the other, might bag you a better one.

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If you do not check in 24 hours before your flight, you may not be able to select your seat. This can be especially inconvenient if you have specific seating requirements, such as needing an aisle seat or a window seat. You may have to pay a late check-in fee.

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Checking in for a flight early or late comes down to more personal preference than anything else. As long as you check in before the window closes, you'll (most likely) get a seat on the aircraft. But, being strategic, one way or the other, might bag you a better one.

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Passengers can choose seats and meal preferences. Boarding passes can be printed or saved on mobile devices. Baggage drop-off may still be required at the airport. Some airports have separate security lanes for online check-in.

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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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Yes, simply show your mobile boarding pass on a mobile phone, iPad, or Apple Watch and a valid form of identification to the TSA Agent at security to proceed.

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Check in 24-hours before departure Regardless, checking in early (up to 24 hours before your flight's planned departure time) can help you score the best boarding group and position after people who paid for early boarding or get it as an elite status perk.

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The General Guideline for How Early You Should Get to the Airport. Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight.

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Most airlines recommend arriving at the airport three hours before departure for international flights. It's common for international flights to start boarding earlier than domestic flights (the aircraft are often larger and have higher passenger capacities), which accounts for the earlier recommendation.

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Before you travel, make sure your flight isn't affected by a travel alert. Then you can plan for extra time if needed. For the most part, you can't check a bag more than four hours before departure.

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No. A boarding pass is a document (either paper or electronic) that shows a gate agent that you're allowed to board a plane for a particular flight. An e-ticket has a bunch of information that the gate agent doesn't need—including what you paid for the ticket and where you bought it.

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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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