Quick travel question: Checking in early and skipping the ticket counter

[CapeCodTenor]

Hey everyone,

I'm traveling tomorrow for business and plan on carrying my luggage on the plane, its only for one night so I don't need much, and I just checked in. So my question is (I think I already know the answer, but this is new to me so I'm going to ask): Since I've already checked in and plan on carrying my luggage on the plane, can I skip the ticket counter all together? This seems strange to me since I always check my luggage, but I see no reason to hit the ticket counter.

Thanks

 

[Christine]

Yes.

 

[sam_gordon]

As long as you have your boarding pass, there is nothing requiring you to stop by the ticket counter. I've done this plenty of times. Go right from parking straight to security.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

Hey everyone,

I'm traveling tomorrow for business and plan on carrying my luggage on the plane, its only for one night so I don't need much, and I just checked in. So my question is (I think I already know the answer, but this is new to me so I'm going to ask): Since I've already checked in and plan on carrying my luggage on the plane, can I skip the ticket counter all together? This seems strange to me since I always check my luggage, but I see no reason to hit the ticket counter.

Thanks

If you have your boarding pass, you're good to go.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Yes.

As long as you have your boarding pass, there is nothing requiring you to stop by the ticket counter. I've done this plenty of times. Go right from parking straight to security.

If you have your boarding pass, you're good to go.

AWESOME!!!! I've already printed my boarding pass and have even emailed it to myself, so I have it in two places. Since I'm being picked up at 3:45 am, which should be plenty of time to get me to Logan from the Cape, I should have enough time to get breakfast. Thanks, everyone, I do appreciate it.

 

[bcla]

I don't even think any airline really calls it a "ticket counter" any more. United actually calls them "check-in counters" now. Kind of makes sense given how few tickets are sold at the airport these days. Heck - there are even self-service baggage kiosks now, as well as self-service boarding pass printing.

Other than a boarding pass, the most important thing to have is your confirmation number. If you forget your boarding pass, it's helpful to know the number in order to print up a new boarding pass at the airport.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I don't even think any airline really calls it a "ticket counter" any more. United actually calls them "check-in counters" now. Kind of makes sense given how few tickets are sold at the airport these days. Heck - there are even self-service baggage kiosks now, as well as self-service boarding pass printing.

Other than a boarding pass, the most important thing to have is your confirmation number. If you forget your boarding pass, it's helpful to know the number in order to print up a new boarding pass at the airport.

First off, thanks for all the replies, everyone, I do appreciate it. Secondly, as to the bolded above, I was surprised to find that at LaGuardia American Airlines, the airline I flew, got rid of their counters all together. they have one station where an attendant with a computer stands, but that's it. And you're right, with the ability to print out your tickets/boarding pass ahead of time there's no real reason to have counters anymore.

 

[NMAmy]

First off, thanks for all the replies, everyone, I do appreciate it. Secondly, as to the bolded above, I was surprised to find that at LaGuardia American Airlines, the airline I flew, got rid of their counters all together. they have one station where an attendant with a computer stands, but that's it. And you're right, with the ability to print out your tickets/boarding pass ahead of time there's no real reason to have counters anymore.

Unless you're flying internationally. In those cases, you still have to check in at the counter and have them verify your passport/travel documents. We always have to, anyway. Someone will probably have been able to skip the counter on an international flight.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Unless you're flying internationally. In those cases, you still have to check in at the counter and have them verify your passport/travel documents. We always have to, anyway. Someone will probably have been able to skip the counter on an international flight.

You are correct, so I stand corrected. I had honestly forgotten about that as I don't usually fly internationally.

 

[WDWJDS]

At my local small airport, Spirit still has several agents at their counter. I'm glad because when i purchase the tickets at the airport, I save about $36 per ticket r/t (and when I buy four tickets, that's a pretty decent savings). Very rarely do I see a price cheaper online (even though I belong to the $9 fare club).

 

[CapeCodTenor]

At my local small airport, Spirit still has several agents at their counter. I'm glad because when i purchase the tickets at the airport, I save about $36 per ticket r/t (and when I buy four tickets, that's a pretty decent savings). Very rarely do I see a price cheaper online (even though I belong to the $9 fare club).

I think Soutwest still ticket agents.

 

[pkondz]

I assume your luggage is the approved size for carry on? Since you said it's for one night.
Otherwise they may make you check it.
If you're not sure, the airlines usually have size restrictions for carry ons listed on their websites.

 

[SirDuff]

Unless you're flying internationally. In those cases, you still have to check in at the counter and have them verify your passport/travel documents. We always have to, anyway. Someone will probably have been able to skip the counter on an international flight.

I'll be that someone

BUT, if you do (I do), you do have to check in with the agent at the gate (or the counter in the gate area - it is a small airport and only one airline flies out of this section) to show your passport. In general, you are totally right (and I was going to confirm that the OP was flying domestically for that very reason).

 

[TippeeCanoe]

I think Soutwest still ticket agents.

Yes, they do, thankfully.

 

[bcla]

Unless you're flying internationally. In those cases, you still have to check in at the counter and have them verify your passport/travel documents. We always have to, anyway. Someone will probably have been able to skip the counter on an international flight.

Some (maybe most) airlines don't require a counter check-in even for international flights. United sure doesn't. However, I don't know many people who don't travel international with just carry-on luggage, so it might make sense to check-in at the counter anyways.

 

[bcla]

I think Soutwest still ticket agents.

Strangely enough they still call it a "ticket counter", even though they sell very few tickets these days.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

We travel international with carry-on only and always skip the counter. Once, at Heathrow, we were flagged at security to go to the counter for document verification, but that was the only time that I can remember having to do that.

 

[SirDuff]

We travel international with carry-on only and always skip the counter. Once, at Heathrow, we were flagged at security to go to the counter for document verification, but that was the only time that I can remember having to do that.

I'm not sure about other countries, but, in Canada, the airlines are responsible for bringing you home if you are not let into the country, so they check your documents. For example, I just flew to Argentina and I had to show the receipt for the reciprocity fee.

Since, in most airports, we pre-clear US immigration before leaving Canada, they don't worry about it there, but they do for other countries. And, the little airport I mentioned before doesn't have pre-clearance, so they check when flying to the US (there are no flights to non-US international places from there). They make an announcement in the gate area that if you didn't check-in at the airport, you need your documents checked at the desk before boarding.

There are still cases of people not getting into the country (it's not like the airlines have access to the computer systems etc., they can just see that the passport is valid - could be stolen, cancelled, etc.), but the airlines do what they can to limit it.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I think Soutwest still ticket agents.

They do here in Albany.
I still manually check in at the counter because it usually just the kids and I have nightmares about running back and fourth across the airport if something is not right

When I have flown alone I use digital boarding pass on the airline's app.

 

[NMAmy]

We travel international with carry-on only and always skip the counter. Once, at Heathrow, we were flagged at security to go to the counter for document verification, but that was the only time that I can remember having to do that.

We fly from Detroit to Heathrow a couple of times a year via Delta or Virgin and always have to check in. It may be because DH is a British citizen with a green card and I'm an American citizen but we have to have our documents checked at the counter both ways. I've always thought they had to make sure your passport wasn't close to expiration.