Air France Check in

Air France offers a variety of convenient check-in options for passengers. Online check-in is available 30 hours before departure, allowing you to select your seat and print your boarding pass from the comfort of your home or office. Mobile check-in is also available through the Air France app, giving you the flexibility to check in and access your boarding pass directly from your mobile device. And if you prefer a more traditional check-in experience, Air France offers self-service kiosks at select airports, as well as manned check-in counters. 

How to check in at Air France?

You can check in for your Air France flight in several ways, before or after reaching the airport through:

1. Online check-in 
2. App check-in 
3. Airport self-service kiosk check-in 
4. Airport counter check-in 

Air France Online Check-in Process | Web Check in at Air France

How to check in online at Air France?

Online check in at Air France via Air France’s website starts 30 hours before scheduled departure until the check-in deadline for your flight—and 24 hours before departure for flights from Detroit and Atlanta, and Delta Airlines flights from the U.S. The online check-in deadline (French term: HLE) depends on your destination and ranges from 90 – 15 minutes before departure.

To check in online from Air France’s website:

• Go to AirFrance.com
• Click on the Check-in tab

To check in through your Ticket number or booking reference (opens by default)	To check in through your Loyalty program number
Enter your:Ticket number or booking referenceFlight numberClick on the Check in button	Select the Loyalty program number optionSelect/enter your:Loyalty program nameLoyalty program numberFlight numberClick on the Check in button

• Confirm your check-in and choose how you want to receive your boarding pass:
  • Make a letter-sized printout, or
  • By email, or 
  • On your mobile phone 
  • On Facebook Messenger
  • At the airport
    • Self-service kiosks, or 
    • Check-in counter

When you check in online, you can also: 

• Check in for a return connecting flight (if within 24 hours)
• Select your seat from the seat map
  (i.e., a different seat from the one automatically allotted to you, so that you can sit with your group. Select the Change seat selection option to change your seat).
• Upgrade to Seat Plus for extra legroom
• Purchase extra baggage at 20% less than the airport rate
• Print your baggage tags at home
  (available if you have the option to receive your boarding pass by e-mail. If your flight is departing from the European Union, you will require a color printout. Reusable tag holders will be provided at the airport).
• Choose a meal option (if available)

Exceptions to Online Check-in

Air France will not let you check in online if:

• You’re booking is unconfirmed or on standby 
• You require medical or special assistance
• You’re an unaccompanied minor 
• You’re traveling with a pet in the hold 
• Your trip includes a change of airports at a stopover
  (except within Paris between Orly and Charles de Gaulle)
• You’ve upgraded online using Flying Blue Miles 
• You’ve booked an extra seat
• You’re departing from Sofia on an Air Bulgaria-operated flight
• A portion of your itinerary includes train travel (except from Strasbourg or Brussels)
• You’re departing from Luxembourg, Seoul, Seville, Vigo, Verona, Palma, Helsinki, Bern, Hanoi, Alicante, Bern, Damascus, Genoa Ljubljana, or Malte 

Passengers can check in online for the following flights but will need to obtain a boarding pass at the airport by showing their check-in confirmation at the e-services or check-in counter: 

• Flights from Cairo, Havana, Algiers, Casablanca, Punta Cana, Tunis, Delhi, Mumbai, Havana, Djiboui, Kinshasa, Male, Marrakech, Santo Domingo, and Rabat.  
• Flights between Marseille or Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Tel Aviv.
• AIR&RAIL trips including a rail segment from Brussels or Strasbourg.

Air France App Check-in Process

How to check in with the Air France app

Passengers can check in online with the Air France online check in app at most airports from 30 hours before scheduled departure until the check-in deadline for their flights (but 24 hours before departure for flights from Detroit and Atlanta, and Delta Airlines flights from the US). The check-in deadline (French term: HLE) will depend on the destination and ranges from 15 – 90 minutes prior to flight departure. 

The mobile app is available in 10 languages: English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Russian.

How to check in with the Air France app

To check in with the Air France mobile app, tap on the check-in button and log in. Then enter the required information and follow the prompts to confirm your check in. You will receive your mobile boarding pass. Save it to your device so that you can access it online and show it at the airport.

You can use the mobile app to: 

• Make a flight booking
  (you can scan your passport instead of manually entering your personal information)
• Check in
• Choose your seat 
• Get your boarding pass 
• Receive important notifications in real-time 
• Review and modify your flight booking 
• Purchase additional options
  • Baggage 
  • Seat upgrade
• Check and share your flight time 
• Manage your Flying Blue account 

Airport Self-Service Kiosk Check-in Process

Air France self-check-in (kiosk)

You can check in at the airport’s self-service kiosk on the day of your flight’s departure—but at least 15-90 minutes ahead of departure, depending on your departure and destination airports.

To self-check in at the Air France airport kiosk (open 24/7), enter: 

• Your reservation/e-ticket/Flying Blue card/credit/debit card number, and
• Your first and last name 

Some kiosks allow you to scan your passport and check in. 

When checking in at the airport’s self-service kiosk, you can also:

• Change your flight and take an earlier flight if your ticket permits.
• Check in for a return flight if it departs within 24 hours of arrival.
• Confirm or change your seat.
• Print your trip summary.
• Pay additional fees.
  (Available in the U.S. except Chicago; and France)
• Confirm that you’ve registered your Flying Blue card number for the flight.
• Purchase/book add-ons such as extra baggage at the airport rate, Seat Plus, etc.
• Make a printout of your baggage tags to self-tag your bags.

After you check in at a self-service kiosk: 

• You will receive a printout of your boarding pass
• Your baggage tags (if required)

You can now drop your bags at the EXPRESS counter and head for the departure gate.

Airport Desk Check-in Process

How to check in at the airport at Air France

Air France recommends that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before departure. This ensures you have enough time to drop off your bags and go through security and immigration. 

Air France Boarding Deadline

The boarding gates at Air France close:

• 15 minutes before departure between Paris-Orly and destinations in metropolitan France.
• 20 minutes before departure for all other flights.

When you reach the airport check-in desk, you will have to present your: 

• Passport and/or original official ID card 
• Other travel documents
  (such as your reservation number, e-ticket, or Flying Blue card)

Hot Tips

• If you’re traveling without any checked bags, you can check in just once for a same-day return flight within France or Europe. 
• If you’re traveling in First Class (La Premiere), Business Class, or Premium Economy Class, you can check in at dedicated check-in counters at the airport. 
• If you’re a Flying Blue member (Platinum, Gold, or Silver), you can check in at the priority check-in counters (most airports).

Air France Check in Time

The check-in time at Air France varies, depending on your flight. You should arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before departure time to allow enough time for security checks and customs procedures. However, if you have already completed your online check-in and do not have any checked baggage, you can arrive at the airport later than the recommended times below. 

When can I check in for my Air France flight?

Air France recommends that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before departure so that you can complete all check-in formalities before the check-in counters close. The counter closing times vary from 15 to 90 minutes ahead of departure, depending on your departure and destination airports. 

The check-in deadline is 20 minutes before departure for all flights except flights between Paris-Orly and destinations in metropolitan France (15 minutes before departure).   

The Air France check in time—incl. baggage check in time—is as follows: 

1. Online Check in Time

Online check-in at Air France starts 30* hours ahead of departure till the check-in deadline, which can range from 15 – 90 minutes before departure, as shown below. You can also check in for your return flight if it is within 24 hours of your flight’s departure. 

*24 hours before departure for flights from Detroit and Atlanta, and Delta Airlines flights from the US.

• Check in Deadline for Flights from Europe (excl. metropolitan France)
  • 30 minutes before departure – To regional cities in France.
  • 40 minutes before departure – To Paris (Charles de Gaulle and Orly) and cities within Europe.

Exceptions

• 30 minutes before departure – From London City (15 minutes without checked baggage)
• 30 minutes before departure – From Brussels-Midi to Paris-Charles de Gaulle 2 by TGV (or 15 minutes without checked bags)
• 50 minutes before departure – Kyiv, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Milan, Yeravan
• 60 minutes before departure – From Hannover, Istanbul.

• Check-in Deadline for Flights from Outside Europe 
  • 60 minutes before departure – To all locations. 

Exceptions 

• 45 minutes before departure – From other French regions and overseas territories. 
• 75 minutes before departure – From Beijing and Nairobi.
• 90 minutes before departure – From Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre.
• 90 minutes before departure – From Port Harcourt, Ouagadougou, Niamey, Monrovia, Malabo, Lomé, Cairo, Conakry, Caracas, Douala, Brazzaville, Antananarivo, Djibouti, Cotonou, Dakar, Freetown, Libreville, Kinshasa, Luanda, Abuja, and Algiers.
• 120 minutes before departure – From Yaounde, Nouakchott, Lagos, Banjul, Bangui, Bamako, Accra, and Abidjan.
  

• Check-in Deadline for Flights from Metropolitan France—Paris Charles de Gaulle 2
  • 40 minutes before departure – To regional cities within France; Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Spain, Slovenia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, Denmark, Estonia, and Malta; Ireland and Great Britain.
  • 60 minutes before departure – To Morocco, Algeria, Ukraine, Russia, Croatia, Romania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Tunisia; Cairo and South Africa; French territories and overseas departments; and other countries.
  • 90 minutes before departure – To Israel, Africa (except Cairo, Bamako, and South Africa).
    
• Check-in Deadline for Flights from Metropolitan France—Paris (Orly)
  • 40 minutes before departure – To other cities within France; Europe.
  • 60 minutes before departure – To other countries; French overseas territories and departments.
    
• Check-in Deadline for Flights from Other Cities in the Metropolitan France Region
  • 30 minutes before departure – To Paris-Orly, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, other cities within France; Europe.

Exceptions 

• 30 minutes before departure To Paris Charles de Gaulle from Strasbourg TGV train station.
• 40 minutes To Europe from Lyon or Nantes (excluding metropolitan France).
• 60 minutes To Tunis and Algiers from Marseille.

2. Mobile App Check-in Time

Air France’s mobile app check-in time is the same as the online check-in time (above). 

3. Airport Self-Service Kiosk Time 

Passengers can check in at the airport’s self-service kiosk on the day of their flight’s departure—but before the check-in deadlines mentioned above. 

4. Airport Desk Check-in Time

You should arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight’s departure so that you have enough time to drop off your bags and go through security and immigration. 

Note. Counter-closing deadlines can vary by airport, so do refer to your e-ticket receipt before travelling. The check-in deadlines (by city) are the same as those provided above.

How to Cancel Air France Check in

You can cancel your Air France check-in up to the check-in deadline, which ranges from 15 – 90 minutes prior to departure, depending on your departure and arrival airports.

To cancel your check-in, follow the steps below:

1. Go to AirFrance.com
2. Click on the Check in tab
3. Now click on the Cancel my check-in link appearing at the bottom of the page
   (below the Check-in button, as shown below)

4. Enter your ticket number/booking reference, last name, and flight number 
5. Click on the Cancel check in button

Air France Boarding Zones

Your zone number will be mentioned on the boarding pass that would have received through the website, mobile app, or at the airport.

You can only board your flight when your zone is called. The location of your zone is displayed on the signage in front of your boarding gate.

Air France flights are boarded according to zones. You will be placed in one of 5 zones and invited to board the aircraft only when your zone number is called. Your boarding zone will depend on your travel class, membership status, and fare type, and mentioned on your boarding pass.

• Zone 1 passengers are entitled to SkyPriority privileges and will be called to board first. They include Platinum and Gold status members flying in Business Class.
• Zone 2 passengers, also entitled to SkyPriority privileges, will be called to board next. They include Platinum and Gold status members travelling in Economy Class/Premium Economy Class.
• Zone 3 passengers include Silver status members and will be called to board next. 
• Zones 4 and 5, comprising all other passengers, will be called last to board. 

Boarding Tips 

• If you’ve checked in for your Air France flight before reaching the airport and you’re not carrying any checked baggage, you don’t need to worry about the check-in deadline. You can reach the airport a little later and head straight for the boarding gate before it closes. 
• If you’ve checked in for your flight and you’re carrying checked luggage, you will need to reach the airport and check in your baggage before your flight’s check-in deadline. 

Boarding Deadline. If you don’t make it to the boarding gate before the boarding deadline (see below), your reservation may be cancelled. Although the boarding deadlines vary depending on your airport, they are typically as follows:

• 15 minutes before departure between Paris-Orly and destinations in metropolitan France.
• 20 minutes before departure for all other flights.

Frequently Asked Questions on Air France Check-in

Below is a list of frequently asked questions to guide you through Air France’s check-in process. From what documents you need to bring to how early you should arrive at the airport, we’ve got you covered.