Kenya Airways Online Check-In: Times, Boarding Pass and Baggage

On flights serving the United States, check-in opens 24 hours before departure. On the airline's other routes, the exact opening time is shown on your booking, and that is the reference to go by.

On the closing side, the deadline depends on the location and the type of flight:

Online check-in also closes before departure, usually earlier than the counters. Build in a margin: once the cut-off has passed, ground staff can no longer accept you, even if the aircraft is still at the gate. On long-haul flights out of Paris, Amsterdam, London or New York, immigration formalities and security checks add extra time that is worth planning for.

Online check-in is done from the "Check In" section of the Kenya Airways website, using the six-character booking reference and passenger name, or the ticket number. The airline's mobile app gives access to the same features, along with flight tracking.

At this stage, the airline generally asks for passport details and, depending on the destination, visa or travel authorisation information. Some situations cannot be handled online and are referred to the counter, such as when a document needs to be checked by an agent, or when part of the itinerary is operated by another airline. In that last case, check-in may need to be completed with the carrier operating the flight.

Seat selection depends on the fare purchased: depending on your ticket, choosing a seat may be included or charged at check-in.

Once check-in is confirmed, Kenya Airways issues an electronic boarding pass, sent by email or available in the app. It shows your name, the KQ flight number, the expected gate, boarding time and a barcode that will be scanned at security and again at the gate.

The mobile version is accepted at many of the airports the airline serves, but acceptance depends on the airport. If you have any doubt about your departure airport, have your pass printed at the counter or at a check-in kiosk. The name on the pass must match exactly the one on the passport you present.

If your flight changes after check-in (schedule change, rerouting, upgrade), the boarding pass is reissued, and the latest version is the one that counts.

Being checked in does not mean skipping the airport if you are travelling with checked baggage. Kenya Airways provides bag drop counters and check-in kiosks at its main airports, starting with its Nairobi hub (Jomo Kenyatta). Baggage drop closes at the latest at the same time as check-in, often earlier: arrive well ahead of time rather than at the last moment.

The baggage allowance and cabin baggage limits depend on the ticket and the route: the conditions that apply are shown on your booking. Oversized cabin baggage is placed in the hold at the counter or gate, sometimes with an extra charge. Prohibited items and the airline's own restrictions apply on top of the airport's rules.

In Nairobi as well as at international stopovers, boarding gates close several minutes before departure and do not reopen. If your boarding pass does not arrive, if online check-in rejects your booking, or if you get stuck entering your documents, Kenya Airways customer service and the airport counters can resolve these cases; you can also have iBoardingPass handle your online check-in for you, as soon as the airline opens it, and receive your boarding pass by email.

Other SkyTeam airlines apply different rules, worth knowing when your trip combines several carriers: Air France check-in, check-in with Delta Air Lines, Air Europa's check-in times, or China Eastern Airlines' check-in process.