Online Check-in
When?
Expat Relocation strongly recommends checking in online 24
hours before your flight. Your advantage is that you have your boarding
pass already in your hand when you check your luggage at the airport.
Please find out in time everything you might need or be aware of before
your flight so that you can begin your journey without stress.
As check-in time at the airport (from this point on online check-in is no longer possible), you should at least calculate:
- 60 minutes (1 hour) - Within Germany
- 90 minutes (1,5 hours) - Flights in Europe
- 180 minutes (3 hours) - intercontinental flights
Before the gate is closed, you should have enough time to check your luggage, to have gone through security check and carry-on-baggage- and passport control. This time is also called “Last Boarding Time” and is always indicated on your boarding pass for your information. Please note that for some destinations (such as USA, Israel) you must plan for extended security checks, which might take longer than others. Please refer to the particular airline for each actual Boarding Time. Please consider that there could be another security check before your connecting flight (for example, USA).
How?
For an online check-in you need your passports and E-Ticketnumber (also called etix or TKT). This unique 13-digit number can be found in the invoice you’ve received from Expat Relocation, on the right side of each passenger’s name. Select your booked airline from the list and check-in online via the provided link:
Can I also check-in via my Smartphone?
Yes, this service is at your disposal for an average of 24 hours before departure. Here you have the possibility to choose your seat, although Expat Relocation recommends doing so immediately after the reservation is made. Subsequently, you receive the mobile boarding pass which includes a 2D barcode and your flight information. The 2D barcode on your cellphone display will be read by a scanner. If you have problems with the mobile boarding pass, you can pick-up your boarding pass at the check-in counter or print it from a machine.
What other check-in possibilities are there?
Check-in machine: Depending on the airline you will need a credit- or frequent flyer card for identification or there is the option to enter your name and booking number manually. Then you can select a seat for the flight and specify the amount of luggage. The machine prints the boarding pass that allows you to check your luggage at the “Baggage drop off” point. Some check-in machines additionally print out a luggage sticker that you attach to your bags and you then either deliver them to the baggage drop-off counter or, if available, place them on the integrated baggage transport conveyor belt. The biggest advantage of the check-in machine is the time that you save, especially at the baggage drop-off counter. For groups, it is also often possible to select adjacent seats.
Text Message (SMS): Some airlines offer the Text Message Check-In to a limited clientele. You receive an invitation through Text Message a few hours before departure to which you reply; then you are checked in. The boarding pass is then obtained through the online check-in, a check-in machine, at a check-in counter or as a mobile boarding pass.
