GOL Online Check-in: Schedules, Boarding Pass and Baggage

Time windows depend on the channel used and the route. Through the app, the website or the kiosk, GOL publicly states that check-in is available 48 hours before the flight for domestic and international flights, and 24 hours before the flight for flights to the United States operated by GOL. On the pages dedicated to codeshare travel, the airline also allows 24 hours before an international flight when the first segment is operated by GOL.

At the airport service desk, check-in opens 3 hours before departure.

These times are limits, not targets: aim to arrive earlier, and check the exact time shown on your booking, since a particular airport or fare may require an earlier presentation.

Digital check-in is done through the GOL app or on www.voegol.com.br, using the booking code and the passenger's name. For it to be accepted, GOL sets several conditions: being present during check-in hours, having the first segment of the trip operated by GOL regardless of the country where the ticket was issued, and having a booking with no special services attached. Some of the airline's pages mention that booking is reserved for adult passengers, while the general page states that babies under 2, children and teenagers can now be checked in through digital channels: if in doubt for a minor, plan on going to the counter.

The airline also lists cases where the digital channel is not open: itineraries requiring additional procedures for security reasons, itineraries subject to document checks and additional COVID-19 requirements, and trips that may include service requests for passengers with disabilities.

If the first segment is operated by a partner, check-in is done with that airline: at the counter or on the website of TAP Air Portugal, South African Airways, Copa Airlines, TAAG, and directly at the airport counter for Aerolíneas Argentinas.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass is available in the GOL app or on the website, and it can be printed at the kiosk or at the counter on departure day. For a multi-segment trip, GOL states that your boarding pass must show the entire journey: check that every leg appears on it before leaving the counter.

As for seating, on flights operated by GOL, the airline states that a seat is automatically assigned 60 hours before the flight and can be viewed in the booking; choosing or changing that seat is possible for an additional fee.

Online check-in does not remove the need to visit the counter when you have checked baggage: GOL asks passengers to go to the GOL counter even if check-in was completed in advance. Baggage drop-off at the airport closes 1 hour before departure, and the airline recommends arriving at least 3 hours before the flight if you have baggage to check in. Departing from Lisbon (LIS), GOL recommends arriving 4 hours before the flight to get through security screening without rushing.

On a connecting itinerary, baggage is checked only once and GOL handles the transfer between flights, but the customs procedures of each destination country still need to be checked, as do the baggage allowances of the partner carrier, which may differ from GOL's own.

Documents remain the passenger's responsibility: valid passport, visas and vaccinations where applicable. For trips whose first segment is operated by South African Airways, GOL requires an international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, issued at least 10 days before travel, presented in physical form and signed. iBoardingPass handles online check-in on the traveller's behalf as soon as the airline's check-in opens and sends the boarding pass by email.

A few situations come up often before a GOL flight:

• Online check-in rejects the booking: check who operates the first segment. If it is not GOL, check-in is done with the carrier operating that flight.
• A special service note appears on the booking (assistance, special transport): the digital channel is blocked, and you need to go through the counter.
• The time window has passed: once check-in has closed, the booking can no longer be processed online, nor at the counter once the cutoff time is reached. Go straight to a GOL agent.
• The name or document number does not match the ticket: the correction needs to be handled with the airline's customer service before arriving at the airport.
• Codeshare trip with a partner: the boarding pass must cover every segment, otherwise request it at the counter of the carrier concerned.