Delta Air Lines Check-In and Boarding Pass Guide

Delta check-in opens at the earliest 24 hours before departure, whether you use the website, the app or an airport kiosk.

The closing time depends on where you're departing from:

Some cities follow different schedules, both domestically and internationally: Delta publishes these exception lists, and your booking confirmation shows the cutoff that actually applies to your flight. Delta states that customers who do not meet check-in deadlines will not be permitted to board their booked flights, and that flight change fees may apply. So build in some margin: it's better to be checked in an hour early than a minute late.

As for arriving at the airport, Delta recommends two hours before a flight within the United States, and at least three hours before an international flight.

On delta.com, check-in launches from the page header or from the My Trips section. To pull up your itinerary, you'll need your confirmation number, your SkyMiles number or your credit card number.

On the Fly Delta app, you sign in as a guest or with your SkyMiles account, then add your confirmation number to see your trips. Delta states that once you're signed in to the app, you're automatically checked in as soon as check-in opens, that is 24 hours before departure, and the Today view shows your boarding pass along with bag tracking. The app isn't mandatory: the website and airport kiosks lead to the same result.

Watch out for codeshare flights. On a ticket sold by Delta but operated by a partner airline, check-in happens with the airline actually operating the flight, not with Delta. The operating carrier's confirmation number is then the one you need.

Once you've checked in online, two formats are available: a printed boarding pass and a mobile boarding pass, accessible through the Fly Delta app. At airport self-service kiosks, entering your SkyMiles, confirmation or e-ticket number also lets you check in, print your pass, add checked baggage, change seats or add a loyalty number.

At both security and the gate, you'll need to present your boarding pass along with a valid government-issued photo ID. For travel within the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, Delta requires a valid local or federal photo ID (passport, driver's license, military ID) for travel within the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. For an international flight, additional documents are required depending on your destination, and Delta states they can be completed through Delta FlyReady.

If your boarding pass won't generate online, it's often a sign that the flight is operated by a partner airline or that a document check is needed. In that case, a stop at the counter or a kiosk will sort it out.

Checking in online doesn't remove the need to check your bags in on time. At the airport, several service points are available:

• self-service kiosks, for checking in, printing your pass or adding a checked bag;
• Delta Air Lines counters, with a Sky Priority line for Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members and for Delta One, Delta Premium Select or Delta First passengers;
• curbside counters, set up near passenger drop-off at most U.S. airports: check-in there is free at the airport curbside, tipping is optional, and oversized bags are sent to the dedicated area inside the terminal.

At the gate, Delta asks that you arrive 45 minutes before departure for international flights, and no later than fifteen minutes before scheduled departure on domestic U.S. flights, per the airline's published information. Baggage allowances, both carry-on and checked, depend on your fare and route: check what your ticket covers before reaching the counter.

Other airlines follow similar patterns, worth knowing when your trip combines multiple carriers: Air France check-in, Aeroméxico's rules, Air Europa check-in, Aerolíneas Argentinas procedures or Air Canada's process on cross-border routes. Online check-in can also be handled on your behalf by iBoardingPass, which then sends the boarding pass by email.