How does online check in work?

[Amapoleon]

What do you do when you get to the airport? Thanks, I feel like a country bumpkin

Just go straight to the security check place

You check in online and if they let you, print off the boarding pass. At the airport, look for signs that say, "Luggage check only" or something similar - stand in the queue to check in your luggage, and away you go.

If you have no luggage, go straight to the departures section with your passport and printed out boarding pass.

You go to the fast bag drop. In theory much quicker queue. Pretty sure you have to check in as normal if you have an infant with you though.

Also there are other weird exceptions that stop the system working as it should, especially with Ryanair and flights to Spain!

At the non Ryanair end of the airline spectrum it also means you can choose your seat in advance. OK, I am going to shut up now.

Thanks, I will be flying from malaga to bournemouth with only hand luggage, so I assume it's straight to departures like you have said.

We did this for the first time a few weeks ago, and it really is quite straightforward.

Remember you will have your return boarding pass too, so don't lose it while you are away.

Thanks.

JeffVadar - you will only have your return boarding pass if you checked into both outward and return flights at the same time. You dont have to do this and a lot of airlines only allow you to check in online 24 hrs before flight.

Firstly, not every airport is equipped for on line check in - seems to be mostly down to having scanners at key points. So you may find you get told to sod off when you try. It can also be tricky if you are changing airlines to a non code-share partner at any point.

The big advantage is that you can choose which seat you want (within reason) and cut out queuing for check in. You may still have to queue to drop your hold bag off, though.

You can check in on line even if you don't have a printer - you just go to the bag drop queue and they will issue you a boarding card there. You may also be able to do this at an automatic check machine.

Budget airlines often seem only to offer on line check in if you don't want to put a bag in the hold. Still worth it though, if you can pack light.