CHECK-IN REQUIREMENTS
The Early Bird Catches the Plane
When you’ve got a plane to catch, it’s important to arrive on time and ready. But it's often hard to tell how long everything is going to take. That’s why we’ve created the suggested check-in requirement times for various locations below. To get a general idea of when you should arrive at the airport, add the helpful check-in times below to the current security wait timeopens in a new window. It’s that simple.
Remember, it’s your responsibility to arrive at the airport with enough time to complete all ticketing, baggage check and security clearance procedures to arrive at the gate ready to board. If you don't complete the check-in process by these deadlines, you won't make your flight and change fees may apply. We don’t want that to happen, so keep these times top of mind when planning your airport arrival.
Overall Requirements
Check-in Requirements for Domestic Travel
The recommended arrival time at the airport is 2 hours prior to departure when traveling within the United States. You must be checked in at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time. Additionally, you are required to be at the gate and ready to board at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time. Customers who fail to complete the check-in time limits by these deadlines will not be able to travel on desired flights and change fees may apply.
Earlier check-in times apply for the following cities:
Minimum Required Check-in Times Before Departure
|
City |
Within the U.S. (with baggage) |
Within the U.S. (without baggage) |
|---|---|---|
|
Atlanta, GA (ATL) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Aspen, CO (ASE) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Baltimore, MD (BWI) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Bozeman, MT (BZN) |
30 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Cincinnati, OH (CVG) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Denver, CO (DEN) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Honolulu, HI (HNL) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Kahului, HI (OGG) |
40 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Kauai, HI (LIH) |
40 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Kona Keahole, HI (KOA) |
40 minutes |
40 minutes |
|
Las Vegas, NV (LAS) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Miami, FL (MIA) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Nashville, TN (BNA) |
45 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
|
New York, NY (JFK) |
60 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
New York, NY (LGA) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Newark, NJ (EWR) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Orlando, FL (MCO) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Philadelphia, PA (PHL) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Raleigh-Durham (RDU) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Reno, NV (RNO) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
St. Croix, VI (STX) |
60 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
St. Thomas, VI (STT) |
60 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
San Diego, CA (SAN) |
40 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
|
San Francisco, CA (SFO) |
40 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
San Juan, PR (SJU) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Seattle, Washington (SEA) |
40 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Syracuse, NY (SYR) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Tallahassee (TLH) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
|
Washington-Dulles (IAD) |
45 minutes |
30 minutes |
|
Washington-Reagan (DCA) |
45 minutes |
45 minutes |
Delta Shuttle® Check-in Requirement Times
|
City |
Minimum Security |
Minimum Security |
Be at the |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Boston, MA (BOS) |
15 minutes before departure |
30 minutes before departure |
5 minutes before departure |
|
Chicago, IL (O'Hare - ORD) |
30 minutes before departure |
30 minutes before departure |
5 minutes before departure |
|
New York, NY (LaGuardia - LGA) |
15 minutes before departure |
30 minutes before departure |
5 minutes before departure |
|
Washington, D.C. (Reagan National - DCA) |
15 minutes before departure |
30 minutes before departure |
5 minutes before departure |
Security Check-in Requirements for International Travel To/From Non-U.S. Cities
The recommended arrival time at the airport prior to departure of international flights is 3 hours. When traveling to/from a destination outside the United States, you must be checked in at least 60 minutes before your scheduled departure time and it is required that originating passengers be at the gate and ready to board at least 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time. This minimum requirement applies to all customers checking-in, with or without baggage. Customers who fail to complete the check-in procedures by these deadlines will not be able to travel on desired flights and change fees may apply.
Earlier security check-in times apply for the following cities:
|
City |
Minimum Required Baggage |
Be at the Boarding Gate |
|---|---|---|
|
Accra, Ghana (ACC) |
3-4 hours before departure—even if not checking bags |
2 hours before departure |
|
Athens, Greece (ATH) |
2 hours before departure |
60 minutes before departure |
|
Bogota, Colombia (BOG) |
2 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Dakar, Senegal (DKR) |
90 minutes before departure-even if not checking bags |
60 minutes before departure |
|
Dublin, Ireland (DUB) |
4 hours before departure-even if not checking bags |
60 minutes before departure |
|
Lagos, Nigeria (LOS) |
75 minutes before departure-even if not checking bags |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Moscow, Russia (SVO) |
3 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) |
2 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS) |
2 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Regina, Canada (YQR) |
2 hours before departure |
60 minutes before departure |
|
St. George, Bermuda (BDA) |
90 minutes before departure-even if not checking bags |
45 minutes before departure |
|
St. Lucia (UVF) |
2 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
|
Toronto, Ontario (YYZ) |
2 hours before departure |
45 minutes before departure |
What You’ll Need
Make sure you have what you need before you arrive at the security gates. The documentation needed can vary depending on your destination, so it’s good to check ahead to make sure you’re good to go.
Within the U.S., U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
One unexpired form of local or federal government-issued photo ID such as:
- Passport
- Driver's License
- Military ID
For more information about the types of ID accepted at U.S. security checkpoints, visit the Transportation Security Administrationopens in a new window.
Outside the U.S.
Traveling abroad? Visit Visa & Passport Information to determine which documents you'll need to enter your destination country.
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