melodyesch

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I wanted to make sure that things work like I think they do. We have been to France before, but we checked luggage. We leave next week from STL to DTW to CDG. Am I correct in thinking that since we are carrying luggage on, we can print our boarding passes ahead of time and do not have to stop at the desk to show our passports to check in for the flight?

We have TSA pre-check and can just walk inside and get in that line for security with our passports/boarding passes in hand?

Thanks!

J62

Not necessarily. The airline will likely ask you to show your passport before proceeding to the gate.

Odin

Yes you proceed straight to the gate. When you go through security, you will be asked to show your boarding pass and passport. You will be required to show them again at various points eg at the gate, before boarding etc.

Christina

Of course you can, you've already done whatever the desk people do, there isn't any reason for them to see you (get boarding pass and check luggage, which you don't have).

Dukey1

Sorry, Christina, but these people have NOT done what the desk people do and that is to verify the possession of a valid passport.

If that is not done at the usual check-in desk it will be done at the gate podium and sometimes even if you HAVE shown it at the check-in desk it is checked again at the gate prior to the first boarding call.

melodyesch

Thanks for the replies. I imagine if they DO allow us to print our boarding places online before then we can go straight through security. I will be prepared to show my passport through security and afterward at the gate, if necessary.

My husband is not a nervous flyer, but gets a little nervous about making it through security and the hoopla that happens before getting to the gate. Once we're at the gate, he's fine. So I didn't want to stand in line at the front check-in counter if it wasn't necessary.

Thanks!

StCirq

You don't need to stand at the check-in line with the people who are checking luggage, but if you've got printed boarding pass of course you are going to have to show it when going through security and then again when you commence boarding the aircraft.

HappyTrvlr

We have had it happen both of the ways you mention. Sometimes we can't print the boarding passes out at home as it will say that you need to go to check in desk( American). Other times we have printed them out at home( earlier entered passport info online for airline) and passports were checked at gate(United). I have thought it was different airlines' policies. Perhaps it's the different airports.

greg

Minimum, you need to show your passport at least once before boarding the plane at some point to the airline staff. However, I have seen people who did exactly what OP asked - proceeded straight to the gate, were told by PA in the waiting area to come to the desk to show the passport. If this happenes just before your boarding turn comes up, you lose your position in the line by having to step over to the desk. I presume the airlines don't want the boarding process to be bogged down by too many people having to show passport during the boarding process. Sometimes they check passport of everyone boarding, sometimes they only those who haven't done it before. If there was a security incidence, they can add additional passport checks before boarding.

While not in the US, one return trip from CDG, my passport was checked three times before boarding. Once at the boarding gate, then in the middle of the jetway: did they think we were ninjas who could enter the enclosed jetway?, then finally just before stepping into the plane.

fuzzbucket

If you're worried about timing and making a tight connection, there's no way to tell. We always have our passports checked at least 2 or 3 times, even with only carry-on luggage, pre-printed boarding passes, Global Entry Status, etc.

Security is at the highest level, so you should expect to have to show your passport several times. Keep it in a convenient location.

Tulips

In Brussel earlier this week passport/ID was only checked just before boarding, not at security. Travelled with hand luggage only and printed out boarding passes beforehand.

Odin

So in Brussels airport they let anyone airside without checking passport/ID or boarding pass? I always have boarding pass either printed or downloaded to my iphone and have always had to show it to get through security, at LHR for instance, you need to scan your BP at a gate that opens and lets you through to go to security.

Tulips

In Brussel you have to show your boarding pass when entering the terminal. Passport was only needed just before boarding.
You are not allowed airside without a boarding pass.
It's different at LHR since it's not a Schengen country.

In Nice they checked boarding pass when going through security, passport before getting to the boarding gate, and again at boarding. This is a recent thing; they used to only check ID at the gate, now you have to show it twice.
There were no queues.

nytraveler

I have not sown anything at the luggage counter when I have only carry-on and already have a boarding pass.

But have always had to show both boarding pass and passport at the kiosk before being allowed to either enter the security line or move from the security line to the actual security process.

Also, depending on the fight they sometimes require everyone to show passport and boarding pass at the gate to enter the jetway.

RJD

We have never been able to get a boarding pass for an International Fight at least in the United States without checking in at the check-in counter first, bag or no bag.

janisj

It depends on the airline and the airport -- sometimes one can pre-print boarding passes for international flights but very often, not.

melodyesch

Thanks, everybody. I guess I'll find out on Tuesday when I try to check in 24 hours before our flight to see if they (Delta) are going to allow us to print our boarding pass ahead of time.

Whathello

A lot of airports let you go to the gate without checking your passport / ID first.

It was the case last month in Venice, in Germany, in Nice (but at least one year ago) Charleroi, and of course Bruxelles. But in Bxl, I boarded before the attack about 50% of the time without showing my ID. Second sloppy airport was for me Nice, where I didn't show much my ID either.

All the flights I'm referring to where intra EU, leaving EU I always had to show passport before arriving to thre gates.