As convenient as air travel is, it can often also be a tiring experience considering the amount of time you need to give it. Arriving at the airport two to three hours before your scheduled departure, checking in your luggage, finding your boarding gate, and then making your way from the airport to your destination. Now, add a long check-in queue to this, and it’s bound to make the process even more tiresome.
But what if there was a way for you to skip the queue at check-in? How early can you check in for a flight? This guide tells you all about the early check-in process, the policies of most major airlines in this regard, and whether you can store your luggage at the airport before you check-in.
How Early Can You Check Bags for a Flight?
Most airlines typically allow you to check in your luggage between 2-4 hours before your flight. However, this depends on the policies of the airline you’re flying with. Knowing how early you should get to the airport is just as important to ensure you have enough time for bag drop, security, and other procedures. Sometimes, it could even be possible that you can check in your luggage 24 hours before your flight, such as in the case of United Airlines.
You must keep in mind that no matter how early you check in your luggage, you should give yourself enough time to pass through the security check, as you can never predict a delay that could affect your travel plans on the whole.
Is It Possible to Check Bags Early and Depart From the Airport?
If you want to check your bags in early and leave the airport, you should know that most airlines require you to check in completely before you can do so. If you don’t, you may have to retrieve your bags and begin the process of checking them in from scratch. However, this will ultimately depend on the airline’s policies. While some do offer a pre-check-in service that allows you to check in your luggage, leave, and return when it’s time to board, others do not.
Besides checking in your luggage, leaving the airport may also affect your ability to keep up with last-minute updates related to delays, cancellations, changes in the flight’s boarding gate, and so on. While passengers are sometimes notified of such changes via text messages, this isn’t always the case, and not being present can lead to hassles when you return sometime later.
Can You Drop off Your Luggage the Day Before Your Flight?
Yes, some airlines do offer you the benefit of being able to check in your luggage a day before your flight. This gives you immense peace of mind as it gives you more time at the airport in the event of an emergency or a delay due to security reasons, among others. However, this will eventually depend on the airline’s policies.
The check-in counter typically remains open for a short window, sometimes the evening before your flight. All you need to check in your luggage are some form of identification such as your passport or driver’s license and your ticket or flight information. Among the British airlines, for instance, British Airways offers a convenient overnight bag drop facility at Terminals 3 and 5 of London’s Heathrow Airport, among others.
Another airline that offers a “Twilight Bag Drop” service is EasyJet. This service is free for everyone. If your flight is scheduled to depart from London Gatwick Airport before 8 am, you can check in your bags between 8-10 pm the previous night.
Keep in mind that some airlines may levy a fee for early check-ins, so you should be aware of these policies to avoid any last-minute surprises. British Airways, for instance, also offers a paid service by which you can have your baggage securely picked up from your home or hotel so you can travel to the airport bag-free.
How Early Can You Check Your Bags with Different Airlines?
To know how long before a flight you can check in your bags, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with the policies of the airline you’re flying with. This is because every airline has different rules in this regard. Some allow you to check in 2-4 hours before your flight whereas others allow you to do so 6 or even 24 hours before departure. The table below provides more information on the policies of some major airlines:
| Airline | Check-in Time | Airline Policy |
| Delta Airlines | Within 6 hours before departure | Delta Airlines allows you to check-in your bags within 6 hours of your flight’s departure for US Airports. |
| United Airlines | Within 24 hours before departure | United Airlines allows you to check in starting from 24 hours before your scheduled departure. If you’re traveling with checked bags, you can check in at least 45 minutes before departure. |
| American Airlines | Within 24 hours before departure. | American Airlines allows you to check in your bags starting 24 hours before departure and it closes 45 minutes before departure. |
| Southwest Airlines | Check in as early as 4 hours before departure. | Baggage must be checked in at least 4 hours before departure, and the cutoff is 45 minutes. After this, it will classify as late check-in. |
| Frontier Airlines | Within 24 hours before departure. | Frontier Airlines allows you to check in your bags starting from 24 hours from your time of departure and before 60 minutes from the time of departure. |
| British Airways | Within 24 hours before departure. | British Airways allows you to check in your bags starting 24 hours before departure. The final cut off depends on which city you’re departing from. |
| Ryanair | Bag drops at the counter open 2 hours before departure. | Ryanair allows you to check in and drop off your bags 2 hours before departure and it closes 45 minutes before departure. |
| EasyJet | Within 2 hours before departure. | EasyJet recommends you check in between 2 hours before and 45 minutes prior to the time of departure. |
| Spirit Airlines | Within 24 hours before departure. | Spirit Airlines allows you to check in starting 24 hours before departure and 60 minutes from the time of departure. |
Keeping Your Luggage At the Airport Without Checking In
Several airlines offer you the benefit of being able to drop off your luggage at the airport before check-in officially opens. This is a great way to save time and reduce the stress of carrying your luggage to the airport on the day of your flight. However, it’s important to note that early bag drops, while convenient, don’t entirely eliminate the risk of baggage delays. If your luggage doesn’t arrive on time, you might need to explore options like delayed baggage compensation to cover any necessary expenses while waiting for your bags.
As mentioned above, British Airways and EasyJet do offer an overnight bag drop facility or a Twilight Bag Drop facility respectively.
However, you will have to keep in mind that storing your bags at the airport early won’t exempt you from skipping security or any of the other airport procedures. You should still arrive at the airport with enough time to complete all the procedures and formalities.
FAQ
Most airlines typically have a limited check-in time and the deadline is between 60-45 minutes before the time of departure. For international flights, check-in usually closes 60-90 minutes before departure. However, some airlines allow you to check in your bags as early as 24 hours before departure.
If both your flights are on the same ticket, with the same airline, or with a codeshare agreement, your baggage is typically transferred automatically. However, if you are switching airlines, you will have to check in your bags again.
There are no fees associated with checking in your bags early or starting 24 hours before the time of departure. However, if you plan on storing your bags at the airport without checking in, some airports might charge you a fee.