Volaris check-in: getting your boarding pass

On an international flight, check-in opens 24 hours before departure and closes 1 hour before departure. This closing time, 1 hour before departure, applies equally to domestic flights within Mexico and to international flights.

For domestic flights within Mexico, the airline's public information points to a wider window, starting several days before departure, with an even earlier opening for passengers on a Plus fare. Check the exact time shown on your booking: it's calculated on the local time of the departure airport, not the time zone of your home or your destination.

Once the closing time has passed, the only option left is the airport counter, provided it's still open. Treat the deadline as a point of no return and plan to be ahead of it.

Volaris makes clear that check-in only happens through its mobile app. In other words, the app is unavoidable: yes, check-in is done exclusively via the app. The process runs through the Mis viajes / My Trips section, where you enter the booking code and the surname(s) exactly as they appear on the purchase confirmation (if two surnames were registered, both must be entered).

This booking code mixes letters and numbers and can be found in the confirmation email sent after purchase. The airline presents it as the key to completing check-in.

On an international flight, there's an extra step: the passenger must scan their passport and, if necessary for the destination, their visa during online check-in for international flights. The airline also asks travelers to confirm that the name, date of birth and gender on file match their travel documents, then to enter the address of their place of stay and an emergency contact before confirming.

Some situations can't be handled in the app: special services, restrictions tied to immigration requirements, unaccompanied minors, in-flight assistance needs, additional screening requested by authorities, traveling with a service or emotional support animal, or a mismatch between the passport and the booking. In these cases, Volaris points travelers to its WhatsApp service or to its airport counter.

Once check-in is complete, the boarding pass (pase de abordar) can be downloaded in the app. Volaris recommends saving it to your Wallet or your phone so it's always within reach.

The boarding pass carries the information you'll need on travel day: departure gate, boarding zone and group number, seat number. The app flags real-time changes affecting your trip, which matters a great deal in Mexico's busiest airports.

At boarding, keep the boarding pass and an official ID within reach: a valid passport and visa for international flights. If the name on the passport doesn't match the one on file, sort it out with the airline before departure, not at the gate.

Being checked in doesn't mean skipping the counter when traveling with checked baggage. Volaris asks passengers to drop off bags 3 hours before departure on an international flight, and several hours before departure on a domestic flight, according to its public information. The airline also mentions self-service check-in kiosks to help save time.

Counters are organized by line: one for passengers who already have a boarding pass and just need to drop a bag, another for those without a boarding pass (check-in plus bag drop), and a third for special services.

Without checked baggage, you head straight to the security checkpoint. The airline reminds travelers that liquids and gels over 100 ml can only travel in checked baggage, and that electronics, valuables, medication and important documents should stay in the cabin.

Next comes the boarding area: Volaris asks passengers to be there well ahead of departure time, with a longer margin for international flights than for domestic ones. Security screening is handled by the airport and can take longer during peak season, so it pays to arrive with extra time.

Cabin and checked baggage rules depend on the fare purchased and any add-ons chosen; details are available on the airline's official baggage page. One point worth noting for travelers with a pet: in the cabin, the carrier must measure no more than 44 cm de longueur, 30 cm de largeur et 19 cm de hauteur cm, and the combined weight of carrier plus animal must not exceed 10 kg; beyond that, the animal travels in the cargo hold, within a limit of 45 kg including the carrier.

Name rejected when opening your booking: enter the surname(s) exactly as shown on the purchase confirmation, including any second surname.

Lost booking code: it's in the confirmation email sent to the contact address used at purchase. Volaris offers to help retrieve it through its WhatsApp service.

Document rejected during the scan on an international flight: check your passport's validity and any visa requirement for your destination before starting, and be ready to go to the counter if the booking stays blocked.

Late for check-in: after 1 hour before departure, the online window is closed and you'll need to go to the counter, with no guarantee of being accepted if the baggage drop-off deadline has also passed.

Travelers who aren't comfortable with the app, or who forgot about it: online check-in can be handled by iBoardingPass, which completes it as soon as the airline's check-in opens and sends the boarding pass by email.