Iraqi Airways Online Check-in and Boarding Pass

Middle Eastern carriers generally open online check-in 24 to 48 hours before departure, and Iraqi Airways is no exception on its international flights. The exact time appears on your booking confirmation, and that is the reference to go by.

Closing time is the sensitive point. On an international flight departing from Baghdad, Basra or Erbil, expect online check-in to close several hours before departure, and airport counters to close at the latest 60 minutes before scheduled takeoff, sometimes more depending on the stopover. Once the counter closes, no seat can be assigned anymore, even with a paid ticket.

In practice, aim to be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight and 2 hours before a domestic Iraqi flight. Security checks at the entrance of Iraqi airports happen in several stages and take time.

Iraqi Airways offers online check-in through its website (the "self service check-in" page), accessible with the booking reference or ticket number plus the passenger's name. It does not systematically cover every flight: certain routes, certain group fares and certain airports are still handled only at the counter.

A few situations that, according to the airline's public information, are redirected to the counter:

• passengers travelling with an infant on lap;
• special assistance, wheelchair, unaccompanied minor;
• tickets issued by an agency or as part of a group;
• connecting flights with another airline.

If the check-in page rejects your booking, that is not necessarily an error on your part: go to the counter with your documents.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass is sent by email or available for download as a PDF. At Iraqi airports, the printed paper boarding pass issued at the counter remains the norm: even if you checked in online, it is safer to plan a stop at the counter to have your document stamped or reprinted, particularly in Baghdad.

The boarding pass shows the flight number, the gate, the boarding deadline and your seat. The boarding time is not the departure time: gates generally close 20 to 30 minutes before takeoff, and a passenger who is absent can be offloaded along with their luggage.

Check that the name on the pass matches your passport exactly. A spelling difference, common with the transliteration of Arabic names, is easier to fix before departure day than at the counter.

Checked baggage is handled at the Iraqi Airways counter, even if you already have your boarding pass. The baggage allowance depends on the class and the route; flights to Europe and Asia traditionally offer a more generous checked baggage allowance than regional flights to the Gulf. Details are shown on your ticket.

On the documents side, flights to and from Iraq require careful checks: a valid passport, a visa or entry permit where required, and any supporting documents requested by the destination country. The airline may refuse boarding to a passenger whose documents are not in order, and this check happens at the counter, not online.

For cabin baggage, stick to one piece of standard dimensions plus a small accessory; cabins on flights departing from Baghdad fill up quickly, and any excess baggage is sent to the hold at the gate.

If you would rather not keep an eye on when check-in opens, iBoardingPass can check you in online on your behalf as soon as it opens and send your boarding pass by email.

For other airlines serving the same region, see also Gulf Air's rules, the Emirates procedure, Etihad Airways deadlines and the special case of El Al.