Sun Country Airlines: Boarding Pass and Check-In Guide

Sun Country online check-in opens a set amount of time before the scheduled departure and closes before takeoff. Make it a habit to take care of it as soon as it opens: that's when the remaining seat choice is widest and paid options are still available.

At the airport, three deadlines follow one another and are stricter than most travelers expect: the cutoff for checked baggage drop-off, then the check-in counter closing, and finally the boarding gate closing, which shuts before the time printed on your ticket.

These times vary from one airport to another and depend on the destination: an international flight, to Mexico or the Caribbean for instance, calls for a longer margin than a domestic US flight. The exact deadline appears on your booking confirmation, and that's the one that counts. Arriving earlier than necessary costs nothing; arriving late means missing your flight.

Check-in is done through the airline's official website, suncountry.com, or through the Sun Country mobile app. You'll generally need the confirmation number (booking reference) and the passenger's name as it appears on the reservation, or the login details for a Sun Country Rewards account.

During the process, the airline offers the purchase or modification of certain services: seat assignment, extra-legroom seat, carry-on bag and checked bag. As with any low-cost model, these services are billed separately from the fare and are usually cheaper when paid for before reaching the airport.

Some bookings can't be completed online and are redirected to the counter. This commonly applies to unaccompanied minors, travelers with a pet in the cabin, passengers needing special assistance, certain documents requiring verification on international flights, or a name that needs correcting. In these situations, allow extra time at the airport.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass is made available digitally (in the app or by email) and can also be printed. Self-service kiosks and counters at served airports also let you print a paper boarding pass.

Worth remembering before heading to the security checkpoint:

• the name on the boarding pass must match exactly the ID document presented;
• on domestic US flights, adult passengers must present a TSA-accepted ID;
• on international flights, the passport and, where applicable, visa or travel authorization are checked before the boarding pass is issued;
• a seat number appears on the boarding pass: if it's missing, go to the gate, where a seat is assigned at boarding time.

If the boarding pass doesn't arrive or shows a message saying it needs verification at the airport, don't dwell on it: the counter or a kiosk will resolve it, as long as you get there in time.

With Sun Country, the baggage allowance depends on the fare purchased and the passenger's status. Full details on allowed bags, their dimensions and pricing are on the airline's baggage page; an oversized or overweight bag results in a fee at the counter, and fees paid at the airport are generally the highest.

A few common situations and how to handle them:

• flight changed or cancelled by the airline: online check-in may be blocked until the booking is reissued, and the counter takes over;
• connections: check whether your bags are checked through to your final destination, as this isn't automatic on flights operated jointly with another carrier;
• traveler running late: if you're not checked in by the deadline, your seat may be reassigned;
• booking made through an agency or as part of a charter: the Sun Country confirmation number remains the key piece of information, so request it ahead of departure day.

A traveler who would rather not keep track of when check-in opens can hand this task over to iBoardingPass, which completes online check-in on their behalf as soon as it opens and sends the boarding pass by email.