Check in online: simply convenient
Save time, avoid the queues
What are the benefits of online check-in?
You are able to check in everywhere, irrespective of where you are (from 30 hours before departure).
You choose your own seat and print your own boarding pass (for example, at home or at your office).
You save time at the airport (no queues at the check-in desks).
Log in
Enter the e-ticket number or the booking code you received after making your reservation.
Step 1 – Your information
Select your flights and enter the names of any other passengers in your party that you want to check in.
Step 2 – Seat and baggage
Reserve the seat of your choice straightaway during online check-in.
Extra options
For a small surcharge, you can reserve a seat with extra legroom or a seat in a row of only two seats in Economy Class . Receive a 30% discount on the excess baggage fee when you want to check in extra baggage.
Step 3 – Print documents
Print out your boarding pass and those of any passengers travelling with you. If you have no access to a printer, you can use the airport’s self-service check-in kiosks for this.
Dropping off hold baggage
Once checked in, all you have to do before departure is drop off your hold baggage at a baggage drop-off point at the airport.
At most airports, you can drop off your baggage starting at two hours before your flight departs. Click here to see the closing times for baggage drop-off points.
You can use online check-in:
- when you have an e-ticket, and
- whether or not you have hold baggage.
If your trip begins with one of the following flights:
- All flights operated by KLM;
- All KLM flights operated by Air France, Northwest Airlines, VLM and Kenya Airways;
- All KLM flights operated by Alitalia, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines and Aer Lingus when departing from Amsterdam. (Your booking confirmation shows which airline is operating your flight.)
For most flights, you can use check-in online from 30 hours to 1 hour before departure.
When your return flight will be made within 24 hours of the departure of your outward flight, you can check in immediately for your return flight.
Exceptions:
- For the following flights, you can check in between 24 hours and 1 hour before departure:
- Flights from Amsterdam and other airports in Europe to destinations in the United States;
- Northwest Airlines flights from London Heathrow, Paris (CDG), Frankfort, Düsseldorf and Brussels to the United States. - When you fly from Amsterdam to Mumbai, you can use online check-in from 10 hours to 1 hour before departure.
Passengers who cannot use online check-in:
- Children aged 5 to 11 travelling without a person at least 18 years of age who is listed on the same reservation;
- Passengers who have requested assistance and who are travelling without a person at least 15 years of age who is listed on the same reservation;
- Passengers who are departing from airports which do not provide the option of online check-in.
In these cases, you should check in at the airport.
Check-in online
Not all airports permit check-in online. In such a case, you can check in at a self-service check-in kiosk or at the airport’s check-in counter.
Check our list of airports with facilities for check-in online.
Travelling to the United States
As a result of immigration, security and airport limitations, some airports do not allow the printing of your own boarding pass prior to departure. In this case, you can check in at a self-service check-in machine or at the check-in counter at the airport. Please check our information about travelling to the United States..
Travelling from the Unites States
If you travel from the United States, you can use the online check-in facility at the Northwest Airlines website: www.nwa.com

