So, you are going to the airport. A passport, ticket, documents for the child have been prepared (passport, birth certificate, consent of the spouse for the departure of your child). You haven’t forgotten a wallet with money from the country you are interested in, a return ticket (it is needed to get to many countries, and it can “take” you not necessarily home, but to another country), as well as the card with which you paid for the ticket (in some airlines may require it). The suitcase was also collected, and even carefully measured with a measuring tape and weighed. When to call a taxi?

Experienced passengers are sure: If the flight is domestic, you need to arrive 2 hours before departure. If you are international or you are a beginner, then for three. Add to this time the route to the airport, taking into account possible traffic jams and congestion.

And now about the same thing, but in more detail.

1. Incoming control. Even if you are not flying anywhere, but just meeting your husband/brother/matchmaker, you will be asked to send your bag to the scanner and go through the metal detector yourself. If something in the bag alerts the employee, he will ask you to open it and show the contents.
2. Departures board. The same as at the train station. Look on your ticket to see what your flight number looks like and look for it on the board. It contains Latin letters as well as numbers. If it says next to it that registration is open, or if an empty field lights up, you’ve made it. If it is indicated that landing is in progress - alas...
3. You check in and receive a boarding pass, then (if necessary) check your luggage and receive a baggage tag. You will receive your suitcase after boarding. He will fly with you, only in the cargo compartment.
4. Go through passport control and pre-flight inspection (again, a metal detector + scanner for all things, but this check is more thorough), and in some cases you will have to communicate with customs officers.
5. The waiting room where you will stay until boarding. There are cafes and shops here.
6. Boarding a plane to which a certain gate will lead. At large airports, buses wait for people behind the gates, and less often, there is an accordion corridor leading to the door of the aircraft.

Registration time and procedure

How does registration work? An airline representative checks the documents of all passengers, their tickets (although sometimes only a passport is enough, since they have all the information in the database), and then hands over a boarding pass with the number of your seat on board. If you are one of the first in line, you can ask the employee to find you a more comfortable seat (for example, one where you can stretch your legs well).

Have you already registered elsewhere? They will send you a coupon - be sure to print it out. It is this, and not the ticket, that guarantees that you will be allowed on the plane. By the way, in addition to the flight number, it will indicate the exact departure time.

You can register:

• from home, via the Internet (though not always - information about such registration is on the websites of carrier companies);
• through a self-check-in terminal (this method can be recommended not only for experienced travelers). Its advantage is that you don't have to stand in line at the counter. These smart machines (also called self-check-in kiosks) can read information from your passport and also print out the boarding pass you need.

Self-check-in (especially if done in advance, via the Internet - it opens about a day before the flight, although VizAir allows you to check-in a month in advance) gives you the advantage of choosing your favorite seat on the plane. Well, people who will go through “off-line” check-in at the airport employee’s desk, especially those last in line, will already receive what’s left... However, this rule has an exception: sometimes companies indicate on tickets a specific seat, which is assigned behind this passenger. Most often, these are places of increased comfort, for which a person pays extra.

If you checked in online but forgot your boarding pass at home, you will have to visit the check-in counter and they will issue you a new one. In some cases, you can register using your mobile phone. The coupon will be sent to you and does not need to be printed - it will be checked through the screen of your phone.

Registration usually starts 2 hours before and ends 40 minutes before departure., smoothly “flowing” into the landing.

If you are late for this procedure, or arrive on time but without the necessary documents, you will be denied boarding.

Boarding time

After check-in, you are taken to the departure area (waiting room). Here people are waiting for the airline to check the documents of the last passenger and announce boarding. Even if it seems to you that there is still time, immediately find the gate you need. Your boarding pass contains your flight number - the same one should appear on the sign above the gate. Only after figuring out how to get to this “departure point” can you set off to explore the fascinating world of duty-free.

It's worth remembering: gate numbers sometimes change, so don't stay in stores until the last minute. It is in your interests to appear at the boarding gate no later than 15 minutes before boarding, that is, a maximum of 25-45 minutes before departure (depending on the length of your flight and what city you are in, this will be discussed in more detail below) . You can’t be late: if a passenger “goes on a spree” and doesn’t make it in time, the money for the ticket won’t be returned to him - it’s his own fault.

Boarding times are constantly reminded to passengers, broadcast on information boards and repeated over loudspeakers.

Domestic flights

• At large airports (for example, in the capital), boarding begins 30-40 minutes and ends 15-20 minutes before departure.
• At small airports (say, in Barnaul, Irkutsk, and so on) it starts 25-30 and ends 15-10 minutes before the “start”.

International flights

• Large airports: starts 60 to 40 minutes, ends 25 to 20 minutes before departure.
• Small: starts in 40-30 minutes, ends in 20-15 minutes.

Why is there such a big time difference? It's simple: the larger the airport, the longer the queues. And in smaller cities there are practically no such services, so the service is faster.

That's all! Now you can sit back and fly beautifully into the sunset.

By the way! When checking in, passengers are often asked to select a seat on the plane. There is no need to think that they are all the same - there are more and less comfortable chairs. In addition, many salons are designed differently, so the seats in them are not at all identical. This video will help you make the right choice!

A trip on vacation is always accompanied by excitement and anxiety. After all, before leaving, you need to do a lot: buy things, pack your bags, and most importantly, not be late for your flight. And to do this, you need to know exactly how long it takes to check in for a plane.

Check-in for a flight: what is it?

If you have never used airline services, then most likely you have no idea how many minutes it takes to check in for a plane. And the very word “registration” for such passengers hides many incomprehensible moments.

It is always necessary to register before a flight; absolutely all passengers undergo this procedure. With its help, airlines track which of those who bought tickets used their services and still made the flight. In the event of a flight being missed or other unforeseen situations, the carrier company's employees will always be able to answer all questions about their passengers on board. In addition, upon check-in, each person is given a boarding pass, which indicates the row and seat in the cabin.

All information after registration is stored in a computer database. After each flight, the information is sent to archival storage and remains there for several years.

Check-in rules

Frequent flyers know exactly when check-in for a plane ends. In addition, it is necessary to keep in mind that the registration time period for different airlines may differ significantly from each other. Each air carrier has its own regulations, which clearly regulate how long it takes to check in for a plane. Aeroflot, for example, can set its own rules, but Bangkok Airways can set absolutely the opposite rules. Therefore, before ordering a taxi to the airport, be sure to find out the registration rules established by your airline operator.

In addition, some airports also contribute to the formation of such rules. Many international airports subject all carriers to their own rules and regulations. All these nuances must be clearly understood when finding out how long it takes to check-in for your particular airline’s plane.

What happens during registration?

The check-in process itself does not take much time. Most often, adding passengers to the list and determining a seat in the cabin is a five-minute process. If you have luggage consisting of several bags with you, then this will be checked in separately. A special tag corresponding to your boarding pass is affixed to your items. At some airports, these tags are checked when passengers receive their luggage; at others, control officers do not interfere with this process.

Do I need to arrive at the airport a few hours before checking in for my flight?

Many novice travelers, even knowing exactly how long before the plane’s departure check-in ends, still spend several extra hours at the airport. This is due to the fact that they are very afraid of missing their flight and do not plan their route from home to the airport correctly. It is worth noting that this habit is common to many inexperienced tourists, but later they begin to manage their time more competently.

You should not arrive at the airport in advance; you will still not be able to check in for the plane ahead of schedule. And waiting can tire you even before boarding the plane, so the best time to arrive at the airport will be either the beginning of check-in or the end, when the bulk of passengers have already entered the waiting room.

What do you need to bring with you during registration?

No less important than knowing how many hours before check-in for a plane ends, you need to have information about the package of documents for this process. If you are flying on vacation with the whole family, then you must have flight tickets and identification documents in your hands. For children, this will be a birth certificate. If a child flies abroad with one of the parents, at registration you may be asked for permission to travel, signed by the other parent.

How long does it take to check in for a plane: domestic flights

Keep in mind that the check-in closing time also depends on your flight destination. This must be taken into account along with the rules of the airline and the regulations of the airport from which you will be flying.

Domestic flights have their own check-in rules. On average, according to all-Russian standards, check-in for domestic flights opens two hours and ends forty minutes before the expected departure.

How long does it take to check in for an international flight?

For flights flying outside of Russia, there are different standards. Of course, in certain cases there may be some discrepancy in time. But in general, check-in for international flights begins three hours and ends forty-five minutes before departure. This time interval is considered an average, so you should always check the airline and airport rules.

Online registration - what is it?

Recently, online check-in for flights has become very popular. It is especially often used by young people who are well versed in computer programs. The essence of online check-in is simple: every passenger can, without leaving home, check in for a flight and then calmly drive up to the airport just before boarding.

Online registration takes place on the website of the carrier company. The passenger must enter his ticket number in a special field, thereby confirming his intention to fly. During online check-in, passengers can choose their preferred seats. This is especially convenient if the whole family is traveling and wants to sit next to each other during the flight.

After online check-in, the boarding pass number is sent to the email address provided by the passenger. It must be printed and presented to the airline staff upon boarding along with your passport.

Features of online registration

Like the regular check-in process for a flight, online check-in has a number of features. First of all, you need to take into account that baggage cannot be checked in online. Therefore, if you have several bags with you, you will still have to wait in line in front of the registration desk. Only there will airline employees weigh your luggage and issue tags for it.

Online registration also has its own specific framework. How long does it take to check in for a plane online? It depends on the air carrier. But usually it opens a day before departure and ends forty-five minutes before landing. In some cases, the airline opens check-in two days in advance. You can find out this information on the airline operator’s website. Some websites that sell tickets immediately inform their customers about the online check-in time.

Advantages

Those who fly very often always choose online check-in for their flight. It has two clear advantages over the usual form of filling out documents for airline employees. First of all, the passenger should not stand in queues in front of the registration counter. Usually the waiting time stretches for several hours. At home, you can safely perform all the manipulations via the Internet and only then go to the airport.

In addition, many passengers note that online check-in allows them to choose their own seat on the plane. This is very convenient if you have special preferences. For example, many people tolerate a trip well only when they are at the window. Therefore, they always try to book these particular places. Online check-in makes it possible to get exactly the seat that the passenger really needs.

Please note that during regular check-in, first class passengers are served first. The rest have to wait indefinitely. With online confirmation, you can receive the highest level of service with an economy class ticket in hand.

What to do if you are late?

Despite clear planning, life can sometimes make adjustments to a traveler’s plans. Even those who know perfectly well how long it takes to check in for a plane can be late for the airport. After all, on the way you can get into an accident, get stuck in a traffic jam, or simply get the time wrong. How to be in this case?

Of course, airline employees, having closed check-in, are not obliged to help you. But in many cases they accommodate passengers halfway. Especially if it is a family with children. To do this, you need to go to the check-in counter and talk with representatives of the air operator, explaining the reason for being late.

In case of refusal, passengers can call the shift attendant and try to open registration through him. More often than not, these measures are effective.

If you have already checked in for your flight online, but for some reason are late for boarding, you can be sure that they will be waiting for you for some time. Airline employees are conducting search operations and may delay the flight for up to half an hour. If the passenger does not show up at the airport during this time period, the plane flies off without him.

Of course, a person cannot remember all the rules that exist in the world. But if you are going on vacation, then you simply need to study all the nuances that are introduced by your air carrier. This way you will be absolutely sure when check-in for your flight ends and you will not be late for the airport.

When planning your trip, you need to know when to arrive at the airport. On average, check-in for a plane begins two hours before. But each air carrier has its own rules.

During check-in, an air carrier employee checks passengers' documents: passport details, tickets. All information about them is in the database, but in some cases clarification is necessary.

Then the passenger is given a boarding pass. It shows the number of the seat on the aircraft.

Check-in for the plane ends 40 minutes before departure. You cannot be late or forget important documents, otherwise you will not get on the plane.

Inside the country

Check-in for domestic flights starts 120-240 minutes before departure. Even if the airport staff is serving a huge flow of passengers, the procedure begins and ends on time.

Check-in for the flight ends in about half an hour. The aircraft will not take off until the last passenger has checked in.

Charters are launched between “official” flights.

Registration for charter flights is controlled by tour operators. You can also check with them about the best time to arrive at the airport.

Sometimes there is a delay of low-cost airlines. But this does not mean that the passenger should not rush to arrive at the airport.

Outside the country

The check-in procedure for an international flight takes longer than for a domestic flight. This is due to the fact that passengers leaving the country are required to undergo customs control, which takes a lot of time. , are described in the article at the link.

The person must arrive 180-240 minutes before departure.

Completion - in 45 minutes. For small air carriers - over 25.

Start and end of check-in for domestic and international flights

Self-registration sequence

1. The passenger chooses the air carrier.
2. Enters passport details.
3. Selects a seat on board the aircraft (read about that on our portal).
4. Registration is confirmed.

Anyone who has completed this procedure can order a printed boarding pass.

In some terminals it is not possible to check in luggage. You can go through the procedure by visiting the Baggage Drop Of counter.

The uniqueness of the system is that it allows you to find out who will be your neighbor. A person receives information regarding the gender and age of the person whose chair will be next to him.

Online registration

Electronic registration is possible in two options: using a computer (laptop) or a mobile device. This way you can check in for flights with Aeroflot and other carriers.

Registration using a PC looks like this:

1. Enter your reservation code.
2. Enter your full name.
3. Check the entered data.
4. Register everyone who is going on the trip.
5. Enter your regular customer card number (relevant for bonus owners).
6. Select seats.
7. Make a printout of the coupon.

Registration using a mobile device:

1. Launch the application.
2. Select "Registration".
3. Enter FFP number.
4. Click "Next".
5. Register your companions.
6. Select seats.
7. Click "Save".
8. Print the coupon.

You can always order cancellation of registration. The actions are:

1. Go to the online registration page.
2. Write the code.
3. Indicate the air ticket number.
4. Indicate the loyalty program number.
5. Enter your full name in Latin letters.
6. Click "Next".
7. Cancel the selected passenger.

The cancellation procedure is only relevant if the passenger did not go through the baggage check-in process. Otherwise, the system will notify you that cancellation is impossible.

How long does it take to check in for flights?

Information on how long it takes to check in for international and domestic flights is presented in the table.

Air carrier name	Start (time before departure)	End (time before departure)
Russia	24 hours	45 min.
S7	30 hours	5 hours
Red Wings	24 hours	3 hours
Nordavia	24 hours	2.5 hours
Victory	24 hours	40 min.
Azur Air	24 hours	1 hour
Ural Airlines	24 hours	4 hours
UTair	24 hours	45 min.
Nordwind	24 hours	50 min.
Turkish Airlines	24 hours	1 hour
Emirates	24 hours	2 hours
Lufthansa	24 hours	45 min.
Yamal	24 hours	1 hour

Some passengers encounter problems when the paper gets stuck in the printer when printing their boarding pass. This is not catastrophic, since the service can be ordered again. To do this, click on the “Reprint” button.

Time it takes to check in at airports

Information on how check-in at the airport takes place is presented in the table.

Air carrier	Airport	When does registration begin?	When does registration end?
Royal Flight	Sheremetyevo	In 1.5–3 hours	In 40 minutes
Red Wings	Domodedovo	In 3 hours	In 40 minutes
Azur Air	Domodedovo	In 3 hours	In 40 minutes
North wind	Sheremetyevo	In 3–6 hours	In 50 minutes
S7 Airlines	Tolmachevo, Domodedovo	In 3–4 hours	In 40 minutes
Ural Airlines	Koltsovo	In 1.5–3 hours	In 45–60 minutes
UTair	Vnukovo	In 1.5–3 hours	In 45 minutes
Victory	Vnukovo	In 2 hours	In 40 minutes
Russia	Pulkovo	In 2 hours	In 40 minutes

Everything is easy and simple, and for this the best thing is to read our photo instructions.
Step 1 - we must have an air ticket (if purchased or a printout of an electronic ticket), a valid international passport (with a visa, if required by the state of your arrival or transit).

Your belongings are packed in a suitcase and separately in a bag, which you will take with you as hand luggage. In advance, you have already clarified the allowed baggage allowance (weight and number of bags), which can be carried for free, and if there are more things, then you have set aside the amount or topped up your card in case of additional payment for excess.

Copies of all your documents, necessary phone numbers are packed in your luggage or sent by email to insure against loss - it’s easy to restore if you have copies of the originals

Step 2 – arrive at the airport at least an hour before departure. The larger the departure airport and the less your knowledge of a foreign language, the earlier it is better to leave home.

If you are not familiar with the airport structure, it is better to arrive in advance so that you can figure out where you should go in a calm atmosphere in a couple of extra hours. In large airports, the distance between the terminals is very large and the connection between them by bus, this must always be taken into account.

Check-in begins two hours before and ends 1 hour or 40 minutes before departure. Sometimes you can check in a few minutes before departure if the airport has special counters for late check-in, but in this case you will have to pay a late fee.

Attention! The departure date and time of departure of the aircraft on the ticket are always indicated in local time.
Step 3 - at the airport, find the information board (large screen), on which you can find your airline, flight number, city of arrival and the number of the counter where you need to go to check in.

Step 4 – go to the counter and present your ticket, passport and your belongings. For peace of mind, you can take pictures of your favorite suitcase on your mobile phone.

Your luggage will be weighed, customs checked, a luggage tag will be placed on it, you will be given a tear-off coupon from it, and your luggage will be sent along a conveyor belt to the loaders. You will no longer have access to your luggage. Your hand luggage will be weighed, tagged and given to you.

It will fly with you above your seat in the aircraft cabin or under the seat of the passenger in front. Some airlines very strictly monitor compliance with the size standards for hand luggage (55x40x20) and, if exceeded, impose a fine.

After all this, you will be given a boarding pass. The coupon indicates your seat in the aircraft cabin (you have the right to express your wishes when choosing a seat) and the main number of the GATE gate (translated from English as passage, exit) from which you will be taken to the aircraft cabin. That’s it – registration has been successfully completed!

Step 5 – After this, you go through passport control (presenting your passport, boarding pass) and head to the waiting area with duty-free shops. You relax, admire the runway, give gifts to yourself and your loved ones and wait for the announcement over the speakerphone to board the plane.

After boarding is announced, go to the gate number indicated on your boarding ticket and set off on your journey. You can go to the desired exit (gate) yourself, without waiting for an announcement; boarding the plane begins after registration is completed.

In exceptional cases, the gate/exit number for your flight will be changed (it will be different from what is written on your boarding pass), so always pay attention to the announcements over the public address system or watch for changes to your flight on the monitors in the departure area.

Pre-flight inspection of baggage on flights to the USA, Israel and conflict zones takes several hours, due to the complete and thorough inspection of all passengers' belongings.

Duty Free from English – duty-free shops.

People going on a trip or business trip on an airliner for the first time often do not know the nuances of going through the check-in process for a plane. The stages are standard, carried out according to a proven scheme. The basic rules of conduct for passengers are the same, so it is interesting to know how long it takes to start and finish the process of issuing a boarding pass. Let’s take a closer look at what a passenger needs to know when at the airport.

Buying an air ticket is less stressful and exciting than checking documents and filling out forms in front of an airport terminal employee. Today it is easy and simple to book a flight through a website on the Internet. Moreover, the procedure for searching and comparing several carrier companies by price and flight duration is available to any user completely free of charge. A successful reservation will bring benefits and comfort to a person planning a long-distance plane trip.

Residents of large cities and the capital need to know exactly which terminal check-in should take place in order to calculate how many hours in advance to arrive at a fairly distant airport. Before leaving home, you need to check the availability of documents, things, and accessories needed for an air trip. For example, personal belongings, books, magazines and personal equipment will allow you to pass the time during the flight and arrive comfortably in your destination city.

Before the flight, you need to make copies of documents and place them separately from the originals in a convenient and accessible place. It is also necessary to scan documents and then place them on an electronic mailbox, so that in case of loss or destruction, you can access personal papers from any computer. You need to check the availability of all necessary additional documents:

• pension certificate;
• student card;
• travel card for a child;
• visa documents;
• various certificates.

As for the air ticket or its electronic copy, the form received on the website should be printed out. There is no need to worry about the validity of this option if the flight was purchased online. After all, at the airport they will check it and compare information from the database, adding it to the boarding pass.

When packing, you need to divide your items into luggage that will be sent to the luggage compartment, and hand luggage for transportation in the cabin. Don’t be too lazy to weigh your packed suitcase, because almost all companies strictly monitor this parameter. An excess of things even by 100 grams after control at flight check-in will result in a fine. It is necessary to comply with the level of liquid volume carried in your carry-on bag.

In addition to a bank card, it is important to have a certain amount of cash with you to avoid various unnecessary incidents.

You must arrive 3.5 hours before departure. Registration begins three hours before and ends 30 minutes before the plane's departure. A beginner in air tourism needs to add another half hour of spare time to this time before checking in for the plane. It is known that on your first trip you need to familiarize yourself with the operation of the airport and individual systems.

Didn't have enough time to get ready, had to be late and arrived when registration was already ending? For such passengers, there is a counter at the airport where those who did not have time for standard check-in are processed. But then a fine will be imposed. Passing through a separate counter does not guarantee quick boarding, because there is usually a lot of people here.

Approximately 10% of customers on each flight are considered late, so the full process of checking and issuing tickets can take about two hours. Upon arrival at the airport, you need to find a board that displays the necessary information.

There you can see:

• the name of the airline through which the ticket was issued;
• flight number:
• departure time;
• place of arrival;
• serial number of the registration desk;
• platform for landing;
• active state of the flight itself - when check-in begins (on-time), flight delay (delayed), cancellation (canceled), boarding status (check in, if in progress) or (gate closed, if finished), how long before boarding ends.

Thanks to the data in this table, you can find out all the necessary information about the current flight. Then you need to go to the counter indicated on the line. To find her number, check the flight number on the purchased airline ticket. Upon approaching the counter, passengers are often faced with a long queue. In this case, it is possible to ask airport staff to issue a ticket through an empty counter. And usually they agree without any problems.

A successful client of the company is able to significantly reduce the time of the registration process.

When you approach an airport employee, you must provide the prepared documents. In most cases, this is a passport and a previously purchased ticket. If you plan to travel abroad, a visa is attached to all documents. After this, place your suitcase and, if necessary, hand luggage on the scales. If the baggage is not overloaded, a special sticker is affixed to it and the baggage is sent for further inspection.

If the cargo weight is exceeded, a fine will be imposed. At the beginning of check-in, you can provide your seat preferences (window, exit, aisle). If such free seats are available, the passenger’s wishes will certainly be taken into account. When check-in at the counter is completed, the passenger will receive a tag with baggage numbering so that they can pick it up upon arrival at their destination.

When does boarding begin?

No matter how much the ticket was purchased for, all passengers undergo checks and additional inspection in case of suspicion of carrying prohibited items or for other reasons. After issuing a ticket at the check-in counter, passport data will be checked. Keep all the necessary papers ready in your hands so as not to delay the line and quickly get to the plane. When approaching an airport employee, you must present the following documents:

• identity card - passport;
• permit - visa;
• boarding pass received upon check-in.

Here the luggage is also scanned and passed through a metal-sensitive detector. A check is carried out for prohibited items and substances (if you are sure that there are no such items, then you need to go through the green corridor).

After passing control, and if no suspicious items are found, the passenger is allowed to enter the open area. Here you can visit cafes or shops, buy small souvenirs and everything you need for your trip. Listen carefully to announcements. After being notified of boarding for the flight, you must go to the gate, present your ticket and board the plane for your onward flight.

For a successful flight, you need to follow all the above rules, familiarize yourself in advance with the check-in start time and arrive at the airport with enough time to avoid some nuances, such as paying a fine for being late.

Check-in and boarding at the airport