Air France Check-in and Boarding Pass

The question travelers ask most often is simply "how long before departure." On Air France, online check-in usually opens 30 hours before the scheduled departure time, across most of the network. Some flights operated by partner or codeshare airlines follow the operating carrier's own schedule, so it's worth checking the exact time shown on your booking.

Closing time is stricter than opening time, and that's where travelers often get caught out. The check-in deadline depends on the airport, the destination and local checks: several stations outside Europe impose earlier cut-offs than departures from Paris. Go with the most cautious figure, the one printed on your ticket, and treat the check-in deadline as final once it has passed.

A booking with a checked bag means getting to the bag drop desk even earlier, since baggage drop-off closes before check-in itself at many stations. Also allow time for security checks and the walk to the gate, which closes before departure.

Air France introduced check-in over the internet in June 2004. By 2005, customers flying between Paris and Amsterdam could already print their boarding pass at home or at the office from the airline's website. Today, check-in can be completed:

• on airfrance.com, using the booking reference (a 6-character code) and the passenger's name, or through the Flying Blue account;
• in the Air France mobile app, which keeps the boarding pass in the travel file;
• at self-service kiosks in the airport;
• at the desk, with a ground agent, who checks in bags and issues boarding passes.

During online check-in, you choose or confirm your seat (free seat assignment depends on the fare and your Flying Blue status), declare any checked baggage, and, where required, enter your passport and visa details. Depending on the destination, some documents must be checked in person at the airport, which sends the passenger to the desk even after an online check-in attempt.

Some situations are still handled at the desk rather than online: unaccompanied minors, assistance for passengers with disabilities, pets in the cabin, groups, special baggage, or tickets changed on the day of travel.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass is sent by email, available in the app, or ready to print at home. The 2D barcode is scanned at security checks and again at the gate, and valid identification is required at every step.

A few useful points:

• if several passengers travel on the same booking, each has their own boarding pass, even when shown on a single screen;
• the SkyPriority logo appears on the boarding pass of eligible customers, meaning, according to the airline, Flying Blue members from Silver level upward and customers flying La Première, Business and Premium cabins;
• at some stations, particularly outside the European Union, the agent may ask for a paper copy: desks and kiosks can issue one;
• for connecting flights, the boarding pass for the second leg is sometimes only issued at the first check-in desk.

If the boarding pass doesn't arrive or the barcode is rejected, go back into the travel file to reissue it, and as a last resort go to the desk before the deadline.

Online check-in doesn't remove the need to drop off checked baggage. The number of bags included depends on the fare purchased, the destination and Flying Blue status; it's shown during check-in, and an extra bag can usually be purchased at that stage.

At the airport, go to the "Bag Drop" desks or the kiosks that print the bag tag. Drop-off closes before the check-in deadline at many stations, so allow plenty of time, especially during peak hours at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. At Terminal 2E of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, the SkyPriority check-in area has been redesigned, with a larger self-service space and a priority path for passengers with disabilities.

Cabin baggage and the personal item stay with you: their dimensions and weight are checked in the boarding area, and an oversized bag can be sent to the hold at the gate.

Cancelling an Air France check-in is possible as long as the deadline hasn't passed, from the online travel file, in the app, or with an agent. This is the required step before changing a ticket, switching seats in some cases, or moving to another flight.

The After Show option on Flex fares is a good example of how this works: it lets Business customers on the short and medium-haul network leave on a later flight, with the request made on the day of departure. Before the deadline for the original flight, it can be arranged through online check-in, interactive kiosks or desks; once that deadline has passed, only kiosks and desks remain available. The airline states for online use: "The customer must cancel check-in for the original flight."

Other common blocks and what they usually mean:

• online check-in not available: travel documents needing verification, a flight operated by a partner airline, a seat not assigned automatically, or a fare requiring a desk visit;
• booking reference not recognised: ticket issued by a travel agency, in which case use the 13-digit ticket number instead;
• flight cancelled, delayed or rescheduled: check-in reopens after rebooking, under the new flight number.

If in doubt, a ground agent at the desk can pick up the booking and reissue the boarding pass.

Deadlines vary from one airline to another, including among SkyTeam partners or on routes that compete with Air France. A few useful references if your trip involves several carriers:

• Aerolíneas Argentinas check-in for flights to Buenos Aires;
• Aeroméxico's rules across the North American network;
• checking in with Air Europa through the Madrid hub;
• Aegean boarding pass for Greece and the islands;
• checking in on Aer Lingus to Dublin;
• Air Corsica check-in times on Corsican routes.

If you'd rather not track check-in opening times yourself, iBoardingPass can check in on your behalf as soon as check-in opens, and send you the boarding pass by email.