Checking in for your Flight Online from Home

Basic of Air Travel: Checking in From Home

A good rule of thumb to remember is that it’s much easier to do something from the comfort of your home or office, taking all the time that you need to do it than it is to try to do that same task in an airport with lots of people crowding and pushing around you.

Checking in for your flight is the first step in your journey, and you can put yourself ahead of the curve by checking in before you ever leave for the airport.

Most airlines allow you to check-in online up to 24 hours in advance. With access to a computer, you can go to the airline website and click through the prompts until you get to the page that allows you to check-in. Follow the steps and then print out your boarding pass, That’s all there is to it!

Here’s how it works, using Delta Airlines as an example:

From the Delta home page, navigate to “Itineraries and Check-in.” Enter your first and last name, and confirmation number. If you have forgotten or lost, your confirmation number, there is an alternate process to go through.

You can also check-in using a mobile phone. Once into the system, you can double-check your seat assignment, make changes if you need to, and list how many bags you will be checking. When everything is ready to go, just print out your boarding pass.

Nearly all of the airlines use a system like this one, or something very similar. Look for the words “check-in” and keep clicking at the prompts as you work your way through the process.

If you don’t have a computer or aren’t computer literate, try a public library or internet cafe and ask for help. Most people would be happy to help you. And if you are a little reluctant to ask for help, keep in mind that asking for a little help in a more relaxed atmosphere will save your time, energy, and anxiety later on at the airport.

Airline Online Check-In Links

These links will get you right to the section to either check-in online or instructions on how to do it. Keep in mind that you can only check-in for your flight 24 hours before your departure time. Avoid the lines at the airport to check-in by following these links – especially if you’re not checking bags.

This is the first in our Basics of Air Travel series. Once you’re done reading this series, you will be more than ready to board your first plane on your next adventure.