advantage of checking in the airline online?

[Dawnie13]

Is there any significant advantage (or disadvantage) to checking in online before arrival @ the airport? Airtran offers this option from 24hrs up to 90min. ahead to do this. We are leaving tomorrow 6am.

[fawnridge]

It's an International flight, you can't check-in online for it. You might be able to check-in for any part of the domestic flight (if you're not on a non-stop) but you'll need to show your passport or swipe it through a kiosk for the leg from the US to Jamaica.

[Amy]

You can go ahead and get your seats assigned by checking in now. On a domestic flight, if you check-in online, and you're not checking bags, then you can head straight to security. But since it's an international flight, you'll still have to go to the desk to show your passports, so seat assignment is the only advantage, but it's a good one.

[r&cford]

We check in online to try and get exit row seats as we both have long legs.

[Beth]

We use it with Air Jamaica. In both Philadelphia and Montego Bay they have separate check in lines. The process goes much quicker.

[jamaican_junkie]

One advantage of checking in and printing your boarding pass early is that your seating is confirmed. Last time coming home from Jamaica, we did not check in early and our seats got changed due to the airline juggling to get kids with their parents.

[BobandJudy]

I believe AirTran offers seat selection on-line starting at 24-hours prior to boarding. Even if you already have your seats selected, it may be a shorter line at the airport to simply check your bags if you have already printed your boarding pass.

[KrisJamie]

We check in online to try and get exit row seats as we both have long legs.

So you're the ones...
:shakes fist:



At 6'8 265 we always see short folks in those seats, so I figured I'd just shift all the blame your way.

[Dawnie13]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I just started the online check in process and the first page statement reads "for international flights check in at the airport". Oh well. Would have been nice.

[melody]

One advantage of checking in and printing your boarding pass early is that your seating is confirmed. Last time coming home from Jamaica, we did not check in early and our seats got changed due to the airline juggling to get kids with their parents.

Your seat isn't confirmed for sure if you print your boarding pass. We were going through the boarding line and they pulled us aside to print new boarding passes because we were getting moved. When I was traveling with my very young son and daughter they moved us together at the gate. Whoever they had to move probably already had their boarding passes printed too. When they look to see who they are going to move they don't look at who has already printed theirs, they look for who would be easiest to move and how many seats are available where.

[r&cford]

So you're the ones...
:shakes fist:



At 6'8 265 we always see short folks in those seats, so I figured I'd just shift all the blame your way.

HA!!!! We're tall, but not tall at you!! I'm 5'10 and my dh is
6'3

[caviargal]

We were able to check in for our return flight from MoBay on Air Jamaica. There was a special line for web check in which was much shorter than the others. Although we were not able to bypass check in and go to the gate, we saved a lot of time using the web check in process.

[melody]

One advantage is that checked bags are often cheaper if you purchase them online rather than at the airport.

[jules]

Hello!! I always check in on-line and it is alot easier!! depending on the airport you just pull up-check your bags curbside and are done! you then go thru security. I find it saves alot of time

[jagorham]

We did the "advance check in" both coming and going to Jamaica last year; of course, we had to still show up at the counter, but since we were checking luggage, that wasn't an issue. Just remember that you often need to have your passport number at hand, so if you're checking in at the resort's computer room, make sure you have that handy!

(And, while I can't speak for Mobay, I know domestically I don't trust the curbside check-in folks. Twice I've caught them actually putting someone else's tag on one of our bags, which would have made for a bad trip!)

[rocket dog]

We were able to check in online both ways (US-Jamaica). No restrictions on it being international. The airlines are charging now for the best seats, however, and the exit rows are often reserved for their heavy frequent flyers. So there was no advantage for us in checking in online, other than saving some time on arrival at the airport since we didn't need to stand in the long line (just the short line).