WestJet Online Check-In and Boarding Pass

Check-in opens 24 hours before departure (for most flights). About 72 hours before the scheduled departure, WestJet sends a reminder email with travel information; a second email, sent when check-in opens, contains a direct link to the same online check-in platform.

The closing time is what you need to watch:

WestJet asks travellers to arrive at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 2 hours 30 minutes before an international or US flight. At the gate: presence required 40 minutes before departure, with a final boarding cutoff 15 minutes before departure. Counters generally open 3 hours before departure, and 4 hours when departing from Barcelona, Dublin, Edinburgh, London Heathrow, Paris, and Rome. Check the exact time shown on your booking, as requirements can differ for certain special requests and for delayed flights.

Online check-in is done using the six-character booking code (or the 13-digit ticket number) and your last name, or by signing in to a WestJet Rewards account. The Manage Trips tool leads to the same process.

The WestJet app lets you check in, verify your travel documents, add checked baggage, change or upgrade your seat, and access your boarding pass. Good news for those who don't want to install anything on their phone: the app is not presented as mandatory; it is described as one check-in option among others.

What to have on hand when checking in:

• your booking code (6 characters) or ticket number (13 digits);
• your full name and date of birth exactly as they appear on a government-issued ID;
• for travel to the United States: passport or NEXUS card details, hotel name, destination address, and the cruise line or connecting airline;
• for travel outside Canada, passport information and, where applicable, visa or permanent resident card information is required.

Seat selection can be made up to 24 hours before departure through Manage Trips, and fees apply depending on the fare purchased and the seat location. Travellers on the UltraBasic fare who don't select a seat before checking in are assigned a seat toward the back of the aircraft at check-in, with no guarantee of being seated with their travel companions.

Once checked in, the boarding pass can be downloaded from Manage Trips or accessed at any time in the WestJet app. Airport self-service kiosks don't allow you to check in: they're used only to print bag tags and boarding passes. WestJet therefore asks travellers to check in online or in the app before arriving at the airport.

If you're showing your boarding pass on your phone, WestJet recommends increasing your device's screen brightness for easier scanning. At some airports, printing your bag tags in advance lets you go straight to self-service baggage drop without stopping at the check-in counter.

Being checked in doesn't mean your bag is on its way. WestJet recommends dropping off baggage 90 minutes before departure, with the absolute cutoff being the check-in closing time. At most airports, baggage is accepted no more than 3 hours before departure, so arriving too early won't help.

Allowances and fees depend on the fare and the itinerary; check the baggage fees tied to your booking before you travel. Note that carry-on baggage isn't permitted for guests travelling on the UltraBasic fare. Checked baggage can be added to a booking through the WestJet app.

Online check-in isn't available for every booking. WestJet lists, among other cases, flights operated by an airline partner, bookings requiring verification or additional documents, and reservations with special service requests or recent changes. In these cases, travellers need to wait for check-in to open at the airport, within the three hours before departure, where an agent handles it on site.

Some situations require going through an agent regardless, and earlier than usual: wheelchair assistance, oversized or overweight baggage, a pet travelling in the cabin or as checked baggage, or an unaccompanied minor. The cutoff in these cases is 90 minutes before departure (for both domestic and international flights), with an extra 105 minutes at Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Vancouver; at US airports, pets are accepted no later than 2 hours before departure.

One last thing to watch for: delayed flights. The check-in and baggage drop-off cutoff usually shifts to match the new departure time, but not everywhere. At Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Honolulu, Kona, Lihue, and Maui, among others, it stays tied to the originally scheduled departure time if you need to check in with an agent and drop off baggage. Travellers can also have their online check-in handled by iBoardingPass, which processes it as soon as the airline's check-in opens and sends the boarding pass by email.