LATAM Ecuador check-in and boarding pass guide

Check-in is available 48 hours before departure and closes 2 hours before departure. This window applies to each flight segment: if your itinerary includes several flights, the airline states that the confirmed details for the first flight are kept on file and check-in for the following flights is done automatically 48 hours before departure.

Two exceptions are worth noting:

In practice, treat the counter closing time as your real deadline and give yourself extra margin, especially on an international flight out of Quito or Guayaquil. Neighbouring airlines apply different windows: the rules for Avianca or Copa Airlines don't carry over to a LATAM ticket.

LATAM explains that check-in is what gets you your boarding pass, and that your travel document details need to be up to date; depending on the destination, extra information may be requested. If the airline already holds everything it needs, it checks you in on your behalf. If any detail is missing, the process falls to you, up until 2 hours before departure.

Here's how this plays out depending on how the ticket was bought:

• Bought on latam.com, domestic flight in Ecuador (also Brazil, Colombia or Peru): the details were entered at purchase, no further action is needed, and check-in happens automatically 48 hours before departure.
• Bought on latam.com, international flight: after purchase, check and confirm the details required for your destination on the website or app. Confirmed before check-in opens, they trigger the automatic process.
• Bought through a travel agency or another website: you need to check and confirm the required details, either in My Trips on latam.com or in the LATAM Airlines app. Automatic check-in then follows 48 hours before departure.

The app isn't mandatory: the website allows the same steps. It comes in handy on travel day, since LATAM notes that a boarding pass shown on your phone displays the updated gate number.

The boarding pass is obtained through the LATAM Airlines app or on the website, under My Trips. On travel day, arrive at the airport with a valid travel document: that's what gets checked, and the boarding pass alone isn't enough.

If you're travelling with carry-on luggage only, LATAM states that you can head straight to the boarding gate with your ID or passport. For an international flight departing Ecuador, your passport and, where applicable, the visa or authorisation required by the destination country are checked; without a valid document, boarding can be refused even with a boarding pass in hand.

The paper version is still accepted: self-service kiosks at the airport let you print your boarding pass. On a combined ticket with Aerolíneas Argentinas or Aeroméxico, the boarding pass for that segment is obtained from the carrier operating it.

With checked luggage, the process described by the airline is as follows: head to a self-service kiosk to print your bag tag, then drop your bag at the automated bag-drop point or the LATAM counter. In Lima, a common hub for Ecuadorian flights, the kiosks are located in the check-in area, on the right-hand side, in zones A and B of the first island, with dedicated drop-off counters reserved for Gold and Platinum LATAM Pass members as well as premium cabin passengers.

For checked bags, each suitcase is assessed individually: weight can't be combined across several bags, and any single item over 23 kg incurs excess baggage fees. The number of bags included depends on your fare and route.

In the cabin, LATAM includes one small personal item in every fare and, for fares that offer it (Light, Full, Standard, Premium Economy and Premium Business Standard/Full), a carry-on bag whose maximum dimensions and weight are listed on the airline's website. Dimensions are checked at boarding: an oversized or extra bag gets checked in with a fee, and that fee is higher if paid at the gate.

The minimum connection times published for Lima, longer once an international flight is involved, give a sense of how much time to allow on this type of itinerary.

The most common hold-up comes from a missing or outdated detail in your file: passport number, expiry date, information required by the destination country. Until it's filled in, automatic check-in won't trigger, and it's up to you to finish the process, at the latest 2 hours before departure. For domestic flights within Chile, the airline announces a change in local regulations that will require up-to-date data and documents before any check-in.

Other common situations:

• Misspelled name or one that doesn't match the passport: this needs to be corrected through LATAM customer service or the issuing agency, not during check-in.
• Special assistance, unusual baggage, unaccompanied minor: these cases often need to go through a counter, so arrive earlier than usual.
• Check-in closed: in this case you must go to the LATAM counter, keeping in mind that rebooking isn't guaranteed and a ticket can be lost if you miss boarding.
• Connecting flight with another carrier, for example Air Caraïbes: LATAM directs you to that airline's website for the segment it operates.

If you'd rather not track check-in opening yourself, iBoardingPass can complete online check-in on your behalf as soon as it opens and send your boarding pass by email.