Airlines are adjusting check-in time cutoffs. Passengers may not be thinking of trying to cut it nearby to avoid spending more time at the airport.
United Airlines has confirmed in the distance that it will change the check-in cut-off 45 minutes prior to departure for all domestic flights. This is a change from the previous rules, saying passengers who have not checked in their bags must check in at least 30 minutes in advance. Starting June 3rd, passengers who do not check in on time will be forced to consider “other options” and may not be able to fly.
“The changes will provide great consistency for our customers by working with current checked baggage deadlines and subsequent check-in policies for most other airlines,” a United Airlines spokesperson said in a statement.
According to the United website, customers must check in 45 minutes before checking in their bags. The requirement to check in 60 minutes before international flights remain unchanged.
United is not the only career that has recently updated that rule. Delta Air Lines has recently changed its check-in cutoffs for domestic flights. Starting April 8, Delta shifted the cut-off time for travelers with bags to 45 minutes, matching United’s policy. According to the airline’s website, passengers without bags can still check in 30 minutes before.
The last Big Three, American Airlines, has a policy that matches United’s new airline. Other airlines, including Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier and Spirit, all say minimum check-in times of 30-60 minutes, leading to a disruptive landscape for travelers. To further confuse, certain airports and flights have their own rules that replace the general rules set by airlines. For example, United had already requested domestic passengers to check in at least 45 minutes before the departure of flights from Daniel K. inouye International Airport in Honolulu, even before the new rules.
Of course, many passengers these days check in up to 24 hours in advance, either online or via the airline app. During these check-in cut-off times, passengers who are waiting to arrive at the airport can officially check in on their flight. This refers to the process of letting the airline know that it is intended to fly a booked flight, and if you do not have a boarding seat you can get the assigned seat. As for why airlines are changing rules, it is clear that they are trying to streamline operations. As United said, it’s about providing consistency in service with the airline, and bags, passengers and planes all mean getting to where they are supposed to go on time.
What can passengers do to avoid being caught off guard by these rules? It’s actually really easy. Go to the airport early. Despite the “Airport Theory,” the virus’s social media trend that made the round in March only takes about 15 minutes to actually reach the gate at the airport. To ensure your travel plans are south and don’t miss your flight, most travel experts recommend leaving plenty of time at the airport to check in, check your bags, pass security, and drink snacks and drinks before heading to the gate.
Airlines usually recommend arriving at the airport at least 2 hours before departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before departure for international flights.
