Virgin Atlantic Check In and Boarding Pass

Virgin Atlantic online check-in opens 24 hours before departure the scheduled departure and closes a little over an hour before that same flight leaves. Once that window shuts, the process can only continue at the airport counter, within the hours set for that particular station.

Counter closing times vary by airport: at San Francisco (SFO), bag drop closes 1 hour before departure. Check the exact time for your station on your booking or on the relevant airport guide, and give yourself plenty of margin rather than cutting it close.

Check-in is done through the Check In section of the airline's website or through the Virgin Atlantic mobile app, using your booking reference or Flying Club number along with your departure airport. The name entered must match the one on the ticket exactly, including a middle name if it appears on the booking.

During the process, the airline lets travellers:

• view and change their seat;
• request a seat upgrade where that option is offered;
• add checked bags, in more limited numbers than at the counter;
• enter Advance Passenger Information (API);
• get their boarding pass.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass can be printed or kept in the mobile app. For San Francisco, Virgin Atlantic states that travellers with hand luggage only can print their own boarding pass and go straight to the gate.

If you're travelling with a checked bag, getting a boarding pass online does not remove the need to visit the bag drop counter before that airport's cutoff time. Some countries still require passport and visa checks at the counter; in that case, the boarding pass is checked, or sometimes reissued, on the spot. Keep your passport and, where relevant, your ESTA or visa within reach throughout the process.

The checked baggage allowance depends on the fare: 1 piece is included in Economy Classic, Economy Delight, Premium and Upper Class, while no checked bag is included with the Economy Light fare. Certain routes, notably to Nigeria, India, Ghana or Lebanon, come with a two-bag standard allowance, excluding Economy Light.

According to the airline's public information, adding an extra bag costs the same online as at the airport, with the price varying by the country where the journey starts and the currency used; online, the number of bags you can add per person is more limited than at the counter. Oversized or overweight bags follow separate fee tables. Prices change over time, so confirm them on your booking before paying.

Several situations fall outside the usual online process:

• Flight operated by Delta: a VS ticket operated by Delta Air Lines is managed and checked in through the Delta website, not Virgin Atlantic's.
• Departing from Havana: the airline asks travellers to check in at the airport.
• Booking not found: double-check the booking reference, the exact spelling of the name and the departure airport entered; a ticket issued by a travel agency or tour operator may carry a reference different from the airline's own.
• Special assistance or an unusual travel document: going through an airport agent may still be necessary.
• Connection with another airline: its own baggage and check-in rules may apply on the segment it operates.

Virgin Atlantic flies its customers with numerous partners, each with its own procedures: see the rules for Delta Air Lines, Air France check-in, Aeroméxico's process, the page dedicated to Air Europa or China Airlines. If you'd rather not keep an eye on the opening time yourself, iBoardingPass checks in on your behalf as soon as it opens and sends your boarding pass by email.