After checking in online, how do I know whether I need to go show my passport at airport check-in?
Most airlines these days offer online checkin, complete with digital boarding passes downloaded to your phone. However, on international flights, you're often -- but not always -- required to go to airport check-in anyway, so they can scan/sight/confirm your passport and any necessary visas. This is separate from the final ticket vs ID check at the gate, and if you try to skip it, frantic paging before boarding starts will ensue.
So simple question: How do I know whether I need to detour to get my passport checked?
Best Answer
If you have a boarding pass (whether that was obtained via online check-in or via a kiosk at the airport), then you can skip the check-in counter completely and head straight to security/immigration.
If there is a need for them to sight your passport (eg, to check you have the required visas) then one of two things will happen :
1) You will not be allowed to check-in online, or you will be allow check-in, but you will not be issued with a boarding pass. In these cases you'll need to go via the check-in counter at the airport before you can head to security/immigration.
2) They will check your passport/documents at or near the gate. This could occur either as you approach the gate area, before boarding commences by them calling you by name to the podium, or as you are boarding the flight.
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Do you have to check in at the airport if you check-in online?
You will just have to check in as normal or have a new boarding card printed for you at the airport. Most airlines will still allow you to do this for free (but check your individual airline's policy), however you may encounter longer queues.Do I need to check-in if I have an online boarding pass?
If you're not checking luggage, you can skip the check-in counter altogether and go straight to the security checkpoint, then to your gate and onto the plane. Your ID and the boarding pass you printed at home (or sent to your phone) will gain you passage right to your seat.How do I proceed in airport after web check-in?
Once you do a web check-in, you have the boarding pass in hand before you reach the airport. The boarding pass includes a bar code which contains your reservation. Once you reach the airport you can directly head for the security checkpoint, continue to the gate and board the flight.What is the process of checking in airport?
How to find your way around an airportWhy SHOULD you do Online-Check-IN
More answers regarding after checking in online, how do I know whether I need to go show my passport at airport check-in?
Answer 2
When I check in online my boarding pass (Delta) usually says "INTL - Verify PASSPORT" at the top if the passport needs checking, or DOCS-OK if not. They will frequently give me a replacement boarding pass with DOCS-OK once it is checked, but I also have one with a "Checked" stamp across it instead.
Checking in with my passport and boarding card when I get to the gate counter has always worked, but yes, they will page you to visit the gate counter agent prior to starting boarding if you don't do it yourself. On the other hand, if my boarding pass doesn't have either statement (other airlines) I've never had a problem with just approaching the gate agent and asking "do you need to check my passport?" - but do be sensitive to how busy they are.
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