On-line check-in for Delta

[sueg]

Because we have a 7 AM flight, I am looking to streamline our check-in. We plan on arriving at Newark airport about 1 1/2 hrs. prior to our flight. The website says that frequent flyers can check-in 4 hrs. prior to flight time thru the website.(I would do this from home, prior to the car service's arrival) Then we can by-pass the counter & just do curbside check-in for our luggage. Sounds too good to be true. Has anyone done this? Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[CarolA]

If you are checking your baggage, this does not save you anytime. They can check you in at the skycap counter when you check your baggage. This is really only useful for people who are doing carryon only.

 

[FoodLover]

CarolA is correct.

However, if you only have carryons, online check-in can be a worthwhile way to save time at the airport. I've done it twice. You actually print out your boarding pass on your own printer.

Be aware, though, that you must make sure each passenger has a Skymiles number and that the number is attached to each passenger's reservation. Then you must log into each Skymiles account on the Delta web site and print each boarding pass separately.

We had problems both times we used this because my husband and I had booked a flight together and only his Skymiles number was put on the reservation. Therefore we couldn't print out my boarding pass. However, I e-mailed the Skymiles online help people and they were able to add my Skymiles number to my ticket each time. Unfortunately the people on the phone couldn't seem to do this. They didn't really understand why you needed the passenger's individual Skymiles number on each ticket, or how to do it.

By the way, both times we ended up with boarding passes that did not seat us together, and we had to get this straightened out at the gate (luckily this was no problem). So online check-in has its problems. However, it did allow us to bypass the big check-in line and get directly in the Security line to go to the gates, which probably saved us an hour in line.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Using a skycap really streamlines the checkin process. They can check you in and issue boarding passes. This is effective to people checking luggage and, just and FYI, be sure to tip them.

 

[sueg]

We have no problem w/ having a SkyMile number for each passenger. I checked and each number is tied to each ticket. But I had concerns about baggage check-in. The Delta rep. who I talked to on the phone made it seem soooo easy. I am not wild about lodging on the computer at 4 AM before we leave for the airport, if its not going to save us any time. We've never used sky caps, so that may be an option, esp. if we use the electronic tkt. kiosk. Hopefully, the Delta line will be manageable & we can check-in the "old-fashion" way.