China Southern Airlines: Online Check-in and Boarding Pass

The opening and closing times for online check-in vary by airport and flight type. On international routes departing from Europe, expect the window to close noticeably earlier than on a domestic Chinese flight, and always check the exact time shown on your booking.

The airline publishes a page on its site listing the cities and time slots currently open for online check-in. This is the first reference to check: if your departure airport isn't listed, check-in will take place at the counter, regardless of how much time is left before departure.

Be careful with the airport check-in deadline: it depends on the airport and the flight, and counters always close before takeoff. Arrive early, especially if you have checked baggage or a visa that needs verifying, and go by the time shown on your booking.

China Southern's check-in form asks for your first name, last name and passport or ticket number. The airline states that infants and other special passengers will not be processed through this channel. In other words, a baby on your lap, special assistance needs, an unaccompanied minor or an animal in the cabin all send you to the counter instead.

The China Southern Airlines mobile app offers the same functions as the website: check-in, seat selection when available, and a mobile boarding pass. It isn't mandatory, the website is enough in most cases.

A few things to plan for before you start:

• the name entered must match the one on your ticket exactly, including Chinese or Western transliteration;
• a valid passport number is required for international flights, sometimes along with visa details or your destination address;
• a ticket bought through a travel agency or tour operator may require the full ticket number rather than the booking reference;
• on an itinerary combining China Southern with a partner airline, online check-in doesn't always cover every segment.

Once check-in is confirmed, China Southern provides the boarding pass electronically (a file to display on your phone or print out) or sends it to the app. At airports equipped with them, the airline's self-service check-in kiosks offer another way to get your boarding pass.

One point that catches many travellers off guard when departing from Paris: even with a boarding pass obtained online, a visit to the China Southern counter is often still required to verify travel documents (passport, Chinese visa or visa-free transit authorisation). Allow extra time for this.

On a flight connecting through Guangzhou, Beijing or Shanghai, ask beforehand how you'll receive the boarding pass for your second segment. Keep the stub from your first flight until you reach your final destination.

Checking in is only one step: dropping off checked baggage follows its own schedule, stricter than that of online check-in. The airline recommends checking in baggage in advance at the check-in counter or at the self-service check-in kiosks.

On the subject of checks, keep in mind that China Southern Airlines may carry out baggage checks at check-in, at security control, at the boarding gate, and in the cabin. Bags exceeding the free allowance and those exceeding the carry-on allowance are charged according to excess baggage rates, and when several factors (number, dimensions, weight) exceed the allowance at the same time, the fees add up. It's best to sort out any excess baggage before leaving the check-in area.

The allowance depends on the class and route, and excess baggage rates are organised by route group. In business class, China Southern allows 2 carry-on bags of 8 kg each and 2 checked bags of 32 kg each, though these allowances may vary depending on the departure city. The billing currency follows the original point of departure: yuan when departing from mainland China, euros when departing from Europe, US dollars elsewhere.

The error message on csair.com is rarely clear. The situations that most often block online check-in:

If in doubt about a flight departing from Paris, Amsterdam, London or Frankfurt, China Southern's European customer service and the airport counter remain the ones who can act on your booking. Travellers comparing procedures across Chinese airlines also check the rules for Air China, fairly similar in principle but different in timing. For those who would rather not track the check-in opening themselves, iBoardingPass handles the online check-in on their behalf as soon as it opens and sends them the boarding pass by email.