Can I check in at a desk (JFK) from inside security?
I have a flight out of JFK (to London). I want to fly to JFK from ATL (on a different ticket) and arrive a few hours prior.
I am not checking any bags, so there are no issues there. My main question: Must I go out of security to re-check in? Can one go from one terminal to another without exiting security? Sometimes I cannot check-in online because I have to show my UK visa since I have no return ticket (I am a US citizen living in London).
Just figuring out how close I can cut it.
Best Answer
It solely depends on potential necessary terminal changes - check where your flight arrives, and where the other one departs; if they are in the same terminal, you can check in at the gate or the airlines' service counter.
It would be easier though to check in for the second flight in ATL (unless your transatlantic airline isn't present there) - just go to the airline desk from the second flight, tell them what you need, and they will either print you a boarding pass, or flag your entry in their system to enable it for an online boarding pass.
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Can you check-in from inside the airport?
At certain airports, self-service check-in is available to passengers traveling with hand baggage only. The largest airports provide self-service check-in services for checked luggage. In this case, you will receive a special tag or sticker tag to put on your bags.Can you check-in after security?
Generally, you don't need to leave the secure area to check in for a further flight, as airlines have a transfer counter inside the secure areas, and you could also go right to the departure gate and get checked in there (at min 30 minutes before the flight, though!).Do you go through security before checking in?
Checked in Luggage: If you've selected to travel with a checked-in bag, you have to hand the bag over to us at the check-in stage. Your bag will be tagged with a sticker to identify it and then gets passed through the airport's security screening facilities to ensure that it's safe to be transported aboard an aircraft.Do you have to go to the check-in desk if you have checked in online?
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.Check In At JFK Airport. Sat Jan 8, 2022.
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Answer 2
[I have realized that the question is for the opposite direction: London-JFK-ATL. This answer is not wrong, but doesn't apply to this question. I am leaving it for now, as it might still be useful]
No, but yes.
Generally, you don't need to leave the secure area to check in for a further flight, as airlines have a transfer counter inside the secure areas, and you could also go right to the departure gate and get checked in there (at min 30 minutes before the flight, though!).
However, as you are arriving from an international flight, you will need to go through immigration and customs, and after that, you will be outside the secure area. This is intentional, as the flight you arrived was potentially not checked according to the US security standards (there are flights arriving from many airports anywhere in the world). As a consequence, you will need to re-enter through the local TSA security, so you could as well check-in right outside at the counters.
Even if your flight is immigration pre-checked at the departure airport, you would probably arrive in another terminal (as the domestic flights don't go out the international terminal), so you would still be forced to walk outside security to change terminals.
You should try to check in for your onwards flight while you are at the counter in London, the agent should be able to clear you in the system as he/she sees your passport and visa at that time.
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