If you’re flying Wizz Air, Ryanair or another low-cost airline, check in online before you leave – checking in at the airport desk usually means a hefty fee. With full-service airlines you can choose online or desk check-in, but desks close 40–60 minutes before departure and there’s no leeway after that. No hold bag and a boarding pass on your phone? Go straight to security.
When does online check-in open?
Wizz Air and Ryanair require online check-in via their website or app. Free check-in opens 24 hours before departure; if you’ve paid for a seat, it opens earlier – between 30 and 60 days ahead, depending on the airline. It closes a few hours before take-off, so don’t leave it for the taxi ride. Checking in at the desk with these airlines is a paid service, and not a cheap one.
Keeping your boarding pass safe
The easiest option is the airline’s app or your phone’s wallet. Take a screenshot too – if your data or battery runs out, the barcode will still scan. If you prefer paper, print it at home before you travel. For some non-Schengen destinations airlines want to see your documents at a desk before security; this is normally stated on the boarding pass itself.
When do the airport check-in desks open and close?
Check-in desks at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 usually open 2–3 hours before departure and close 40 to 60 minutes before take-off, depending on the airline. Once a desk closes, neither passengers nor bags are accepted – even if you’re already in the queue. Your desk numbers appear on the departure screens in the check-in hall.
Cabin bag only – do I need a desk at all?
Not if you’ve checked in online and have your boarding pass. Head straight to security and, on non-Schengen flights, passport control. You only need a desk if your airline requires a document check or you have something going in the hold.
Where do I drop my suitcase?
Even after online check-in, hold luggage goes to your airline’s bag drop desk. Staff weigh it, tag it and give you a receipt with the bag’s number. The deadline is the same as for desk check-in, so don’t leave it to the last few minutes.
Terminal 1 or Terminal 2?
Wizz Air flies mostly from Terminal 1 and most other airlines use Terminal 2, but the terminal is set per flight – check your booking or the departures board before you set off. The metro (line M4) only serves T2. To reach T1, take the free inter-terminal shuttle bus, which runs roughly every 20–40 minutes depending on the time of day.
Quick checklist
- Online check-in done before leaving for the airport
- Boarding pass on your phone (plus a screenshot) or printed
- Valid ID card or passport – the same one used in the booking
- Hold luggage dropped before the desk closes
- Departure terminal confirmed – T1 or T2
AIRLINE CHECK-IN
When does check-in open and close?
Reviewed 12.09.2026Check-in, family and special-baggage rules depend on the operating airline, route, fare, airport and flight date. If anything differs, the conditions in your booking and on the airline’s website apply.
Wizz Air
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- Online opens
- 30 days before departure with a purchased seat; otherwise 24 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 3 hours before departure.
- At airport
- Standard airport check-in and baggage drop desks operate from 2 hours to 40 minutes before departure; some airports have exceptions.
- Gate
- Boarding pass and travel documents must be presented at the gate no later than 30 minutes before departure.
⚠ Airport check-in is charged when online check-in was available to you.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Ryanair
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- Online opens
- Up to 60 days before departure with a reserved seat; 24 hours before departure with random seat allocation.
- Online closes
- 2 hours before departure.
- At airport
- Airport check-in and bag drop close 40 minutes before departure. From 10 Nov 2026 Ryanair is changing this to 60 minutes.
- Gate
- The boarding gate closes 30 minutes before departure.
⚠ Airport check-in is charged if you did not check in online. Non-EU/EEA passport holders must complete Ryanair’s document check.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Bulgaria Air
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- Online opens
- 24 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 60 minutes before departure.
- At airport
- For scheduled Bulgaria Air flights, airport check-in and baggage drop close 50 minutes before departure.
⚠ Online check-in is not available in some cases, such as certain special-assistance requests, unaccompanied minors, travelling with weapons or pets, or an instrument on its own seat.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Lufthansa
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- Online opens
- 30 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- The deadline depends on the airport and route – you will find it in your booking.
- At airport
- If you have checked baggage or need a document check, allow enough time for bag drop and security.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Turkish Airlines
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- Online opens
- 24 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 90 minutes before departure.
- At airport
- Turkish Airlines advises arriving about 3 hours before an international flight so you have time for bag drop and security.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
British Airways
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- Online opens
- 24 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- The airport deadline varies by airport; you will find it in Manage My Booking or on your boarding pass.
- At airport
- After online check-in, passengers with checked baggage proceed directly to bag drop.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Austrian Airlines
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- Online opens
- Usually 47 hours before scheduled departure for flights from/to Vienna.
- Online closes
- The exact deadline depends on the route and airport.
- At airport
- With checked baggage, go to bag drop after checking in online.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Aegean Airlines
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- Online opens
- 48 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 30 minutes before departure; some airports have a different deadline.
- Gate
- AEGEAN asks passengers to be at the gate at least 20 minutes before departure.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Air Serbia
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- Online opens
- 48 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- Usually 1 hour before departure; from some airports it closes 3 or 5 hours before departure.
- At airport
- For European flights, check-in desks and bag drop close 45 minutes before departure.
⚠ Because of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), online check-in may be unavailable for some passengers.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
LOT Polish Airlines
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- Online opens
- 36 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 120 minutes before departure.
- At airport
- If you cannot get a mobile boarding pass because your documents need checking, check-in at the airport desk is free.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Pegasus Airlines
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- Online opens
- 7 days before departure.
- Online closes
- For international flights usually 60 minutes before departure; some airports have a different deadline.
- At airport
- Desk and bag drop deadlines depend on the airport; check Pegasus’s guidance for your flight.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Qatar Airways
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- Online opens
- For most non-US flights – 48 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 90 minutes before departure for most non-US flights.
⚠ For flights to and from the US, online check-in opens 24 hours before departure.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
flydubai
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- Online opens
- 48 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 75 minutes before departure.
- At airport
- Airport desks open about 3 hours and close 60 minutes before departure.
- Gate
- The boarding gate closes 25 minutes before departure.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
easyJet
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- Online opens
- 30 days before departure.
- Online closes
- 2 hours before departure.
- At airport
- Bag drop and gate deadlines vary by airport; check easyJet’s page for your airport.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
EL AL
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- Online opens
- You can check in online through your booking on the EL AL website.
- Online closes
- The exact deadline is shown in your EL AL booking.
⚠ EL AL has its own security and check-in procedures, so allow extra time at the airport.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
airBaltic
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- Online opens
- 48 hours before departure; for trips with partner airlines or codeshares, often 24 hours.
- Online closes
- The exact deadline depends on the airport and route and is shown on the airBaltic website.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
TAROM
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- Online opens
- 30 hours before departure.
- Online closes
- 1 hour before departure.
⚠ If you need EES registration or an extra document check, your boarding pass is issued at the airport desk.
Reviewed 12.09.2026
Last editorial review: 16.10.2026