Confused about online check-in
 

I am probably making this way more difficult than it is but I am a little lost with the online check-in thing. I am flying on American out of Chicago O'Hare. I am just taking one piece of carry on luggage and have no bags to check. American's website says if I go online within 24 hours prior to my flight I can print my boarding pass from home. So this means I can bypass everything and go right to security correct? My fear is I wait in line at security for 20 minutes and then when I get to the front they look at my pass and go "What is this? You need to go back and get a real boarding pass". I know I've seen many people with paper boarding passes but I just want to make sure that the whole online printing thing is okay.

Hi,

Yep, I have done the online check-in with British Airways, Continental, Delta, and probably US Airways, too.

Lovely when only taking carry-on .. click to check in, do seating (if an airline like BA that makes you wait until check-in, so you go in 1-minute inside the 24 hours, lol) and print pass, go straight through security with carry-on.

Cheers.

Yes, you can simply print your boarding pass online and go directly to the security line, as long as you have no luggage. I've checked luggage many times at the airport but still only had my boarding pass printed from home, to get through security.

Ditto. It REALLY is that easy.

I had same question - but it really does work.

You have "seen many people with paper boarding passes". You have never seen any of them turned away by the TSA, now have you?

However, your flight must be a domestic flight.

That's true. I wasn't turned away by the TSA but was turned back by Hong Kong authorities. I was making a connection there and had to go thru security. The bp checker didn't like my home printed bp but I got one at the UA counter that was about 30 feet away.

"However, your flight must be a domestic flight."

Not anymore, actually. Some airlines (including Delta, with which I have personal experience) permit OLCI for destinations that don't require a passport (which is most of them for U.S. citizens---I don't know if they permit OLCI for non-U.S. citizens). You have to enter your passport number when you do it, and then your passport is presumably checked again as you board (though I can't specifically recall if this always happens).

Very convenient.

I have done the online check-in mainly for domestic flights, and once for international, though maybe it all depends on location.

Flying out of BOS on BA, I printed the pass at home and went right through security with just carry-on.

I did a "check-in" of a sorts with the gate attendant, showing him the credit card used for the flight purchase and my passport.

I did the gate check as soon as the gate attendant showed up, well before the busy time for boarding.

This was done according to the instructions listed during the online check-in clicks. Allowing this could certainly change.

Forgot to write, I did this international flight this past April. Cheers.

Yes, Mapper, it really is as simple as it sounds. You will just get in the TSA line, show your home printed boarding pass and ID and be on your merry way. Some airlines are even rying out papeless boarding passes where they send a message to your mobile phone!
BTW, Continental also allows OLCI for some international flights if you have flown at least once before with them with the passport you are using.

"However, your flight must be a domestic flight."

I found this on the American Airlines website FAQ. So, I guess it's best to check with your airline for your specific flight. It really would be convenient to be able to check in online for an international flight.

I mentioned that I was turned back by HKG authorities when I showed an OLCI home-printed boarding pass.

This was in May and I was flying United from LAX. I was able to OLCI and print boarding passes for both LAX->HKG and HKG->SIN.

The United rep saw both of my bps and had no comment. I had no trouble on the first international flight: the TSA agent had no problem with my home-printed bp.

Connecting in Hong Kong I had to go through security screening to get to the second flight. After the agent frowned at my bp I went to the UA transfer desk and offered it to the UA rep. I didn't say anything but he knew what to do. I got turned back before I even got into any line and the line was quick.

As with most rules, we see from the posters that there are general rules and exceptions and the rules change constantly.

For most domestic flights I am able to check in online, print boarding pass and proceed to gate. May not be possible if purchased online with credit card within 24 hours of departure--may be required to show credit card at ticket counter or may be allowed to show at gate. Probably depends on the airline.

For international flights sometimes yes, sometimes no. I've printed my pass at home, then showed passport at gate. Other times had to check in at kiosk or ticket counter with passport. Various airlines. Delta gate agent last time took time to add passport number to profile (though I know we entered it before) and said shouldn't have to show passport at gate next time.

I've also had the experience at foreign airport connections of personnel not willing to take home printed boarding passes for security or for boarding and been sent to desk to get pass for onward flight, but not in U.S.

Print your boarding pass at home, and go through security.

When I did that for the first time, don't remember which airline, I though I should get the bar code - you know, the lines of different thickness. Instead, I got something... well... like smeared black and white paint :) No, at the airport they said, this is how it should look!

And for international flights, flying for the first time with this airline, you must check in the first time in person to swipe your passport, after that you can do it at home.

I found out a few weeks ago that OLCI with Cathay Pacific just means you get a OLCI confirmation and are able to change your seats. You still have to pick up a BP at the airport http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_...ftercheckingin

I'd never encountered this before.

Patty - HKG doesn't do print-your-own-BPs. They always have to exchange whatever you printout for a real BP. Extremely 20th Century.

Thanks, rkkwan. I didn't know that HKG doesn't accept print your own BPs at all.

Yeah, I know. This is information on CX's website:

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_...olci/aboutolci

And I think that people over there in Asia are more okay with lining up for anything more than most of us the US. For example, like getting a McDonald's hamburger, or getting onto a subway train. ;)