Singapore Airlines Online Check-In and Boarding Pass

Three windows follow one another before a Singapore Airlines flight:

The check-in deadline varies by station: Singapore Airlines publishes, airport by airport, the opening and closing times of its counters. Departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), the exact time applicable to your flight appears on your booking confirmation; plan to be at the counter well ahead of time, especially if you have bags to check in.

At Singapore Changi, the counter accepts check-in up to 48 hours in advance and closes 40 minutes before departure, though the airline still recommends arriving three hours early, particularly with bags to check in.

Online check-in can be done through the Singapore Airlines website or the SingaporeAir app: the app is not mandatory: online check-in can be done via the SingaporeAir website or mobile app.

Auto check-in is a separate, optional feature, activated via Manage Booking once the reservation is confirmed and no later than 48 hours before departure. The airline then checks in all eligible passengers and flights on the booking, then sends a check-in confirmation and a boarding pass by email. To activate it, each passenger's personal and passport details must be entered, and all passengers' passports must have a remaining validity of at least six months.

Some traveller profiles are excluded from both online check-in and auto check-in:

• passengers under 18 not accompanied by an adult over 18;
• passengers who have not been checked in on a previous flight on the same booking;
• group bookings (10 or more passengers on the same booking) and unconfirmed or waitlisted reservations;
• passengers who have booked an extra seat.

If the first flight on your itinerary is operated by another airline, even under an SQ code, check-in must be done on that partner airline's website. Exception: when this first segment is operated by Scoot, online or mobile check-in via the Singapore Airlines website or app remains possible under certain conditions (ticket number starting with 618, connection in Singapore to an SQ flight, maximum four passengers on the same booking, list of origin and destination countries set by the airline).

A round trip where the return flight falls within 48 hours of the outbound flight can be checked in as a single operation for both flights, except for flights to and from cities in the United States. A connecting SQ itinerary, or SQ plus partner airlines, can be checked in at once through to the final destination.

After check-in, the boarding pass can be generated or printed via Manage Check-in, from 48 hours to 1h30 before departure. For flights to the United States, the airline states that boarding passes are only available from 24 hours to 1h30 before departure.

The digital or mobile boarding pass is not accepted everywhere: Singapore Airlines publishes the list of cities where it is available or unavailable, and notes that regulatory document-checking requirements may prevent travellers from using it. When your departure airport does not accept it, you will need to collect a printed boarding pass at the counter or a kiosk.

The boarding time is printed on the boarding pass, and it does not match the departure time: the gate closes 15 minutes before takeoff, not counting security checks and the walk to the gate.

Self-service kiosks help you skip the counter queue. In Singapore, they are open from 24 hours before departure, and a machine-readable passport and visa along with a confirmed reservation are all that is required for kiosk check-in. They also print baggage tags, to be attached before heading to the automated bag drop. Kiosk availability and bag drop hours vary by airport, and kiosk check-in is not available for unaccompanied minors, passengers who have booked an extra seat, or those requiring special assistance.

Checked baggage drop-off is possible from 24 hours before departure. One easily overlooked limit: the automated bag drop points at the Jewel Changi early check-in lounge close 3 hours before departure. At London Heathrow, the airline states that kiosk check-in is available 4 hours before departure; at Seoul Incheon, bag drop counters open 3 hours before scheduled departure time.

Being auto checked-in does not stop you from travelling with checked baggage: simply head to the automated bag drop or the counter on arrival at the airport. With cabin baggage only, the self-printed or mobile boarding pass lets you go straight through to departure immigration. On Scoot flights, Elite Silver, Elite Gold and PPS Club members receive a free additional allowance of 5 kg. Base allowances depend on the fare, class and route: check your ticket's allowance before you travel.

An unsuccessful check-in almost always has an identifiable cause.

• Auto check-in failed: check in manually, online, via the SingaporeAir app or at the airport, after confirming that your passport details are accurate and match your visa.
• No confirmation received: less than 48 hours before departure, check your status via Manage Check-in or on the app, and remember to check any other travel bookings you may have.
• Flight changed after activation: auto check-in does not carry over to the new flight, so it must be reactivated, and a change made within 48 hours of departure prevents activation.
• Ineligibility message online: arrive early at the Singapore Airlines counter (or the Scoot counter if the first segment is operated by Scoot) for check-in and baggage drop.
• Seat not suitable: seats can be selected in advance, then changed via Manage Check-in once check-in has been completed.

Auto check-in remains an optional feature, managed via Manage Booking. Travellers who would rather not handle it themselves can hand over their online check-in to iBoardingPass, which performs it as soon as it opens and emails the boarding pass.

Other Star Alliance airlines apply their own deadlines, worth knowing on a connecting itinerary: ANA check-in deadlines, Air New Zealand check-in, Air Canada boarding pass, Asiana Airlines check-in rules and Air India check-in.