Jet2: Online Check-In and Boarding Pass

According to the airline's published information, Jet2 online check-in opens several weeks before departure for flight-only bookings and closes shortly before the flight, usually several hours in advance. The exact dates are confirmed in "Manage My Booking" and in the confirmation email: these are what apply to your flight.

A few pointers so nothing catches you out:

• Plan to check in as soon as it opens rather than waiting until the day before departure: closing windows vary from one airport to another.
• On a Jet2holidays trip, the booking is managed from within the holiday file.
• On a return trip, the return flight is not always available for check-in at the same time as the outbound: check back once you have arrived at your destination if the return flight was not yet open.

Once online check-in has closed, the usual option is to go to the airport desk, while it is still open, with any fees that this may involve.

Check-in is completed on the airline's website via "Manage My Booking" or through the Jet2 mobile app. You will generally need the booking reference and the passenger's name exactly as it appears on the travel document.

During the process, Jet2 asks for passport or ID card details for the relevant passengers and prompts a check of the spelling of names. A mistake in a name often blocks the boarding pass from being issued: in that case, contact Jet2 customer service before the day of departure, as a name correction may be chargeable.

Allocated seats are offered at the time of booking or during check-in. If none has been chosen, a seat is assigned automatically, with no guarantee that passengers on the same booking will be seated together.

Once check-in is complete, Jet2 issues a boarding pass for each passenger, to print or keep in the app. Check that it shows the correct name, flight number and date: on a return trip, two separate documents are issued.

A few points worth noting:

• Some airports and destinations still require a document check at a desk before the security gates, even with a boarding pass already issued.
• A printed boarding pass remains the safest option if you are not sure you will be able to display the barcode at the airport.
• The travel document presented at boarding must match the one declared at check-in.

For EU nationals travelling to the UK, or for British nationals travelling to the Schengen area, check the entry requirements and passport validity rules that apply to your nationality and destination on the airline's official website and with the relevant authorities before checking in.

Even with online check-in completed, you will still need to go through baggage drop if you are travelling with a hold bag. The hold baggage allowance and any excess charges follow the airline's fare conditions, and adding a bag at the desk usually costs more than booking it in advance.

For cabin bags, the size and weight limits that apply to your booking are shown on the airline's baggage page and can change: measure and weigh your bag before you travel, as an oversized bag may be placed in the hold for a fee at the gate.

Jet2 online check-in is not open to every situation. You will generally need to go to a desk, within the airport's opening hours, in the following cases:

• Passengers needing special assistance or travelling with medical equipment, a wheelchair or an assistance animal.
• Unaccompanied minors or bookings involving an infant on lap, depending on the case.
• Travel documents requiring verification (visa, residence permit, destination outside the European Union).
• A last-minute change to the booking, a name change or a bag added after check-in.

If the boarding pass does not arrive or cannot be found in the app, log back into your booking and check the email address on file, then contact Jet2 customer service, reachable by phone and through the website's help centre. In case of delay or cancellation, keep your boarding pass and supporting documents: they are needed for compensation claims. Travellers who would rather not track these deadlines themselves can have their Jet2 check-in handled by iBoardingPass, which completes it as soon as it opens and sends the boarding pass by email.

Jet2 shares many of its European routes with other carriers whose check-in rules differ noticeably, particularly around opening times and desk fees. The easyJet check-in process and the Eurowings boarding pass rules are covered separately.