Checking in

You need to have your boarding pass before check-in closes or we will be unable to accept you for your flight.

You can find this information below or in Manage My Booking. Once you've logged in, click on your flight number, select ‘Check in’ and then ‘Other ways to check in’.

Airport check-in and close times:

London Heathrow: 60 minutes before long haul flights depart & 45 minutes before short haul flights depart

London Gatwick: 60 minutes before long haul flights depart & 60 minutes before short haul flights depart

London City: 30 minutes before all flights depart

Other UK airports: 45 minutes before all flights depart

Short haul European airports - 45 minutes before all flights depart, except at:

Amsterdam, Amman, Antalya, Barcelona, Berlin (Brandenburg), Brussels, Cairo, Dalaman, Florence, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Istanbul - SAW (Sabih Gokcen Airport), Lisbon, Madrid, Milan (Linate & Malpensa), Naples, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paris and Rome - 1 hour

Long haul international airports: At least 60 minutes before your flight departs. Some destinations, including Ghana, close 90 minutes before departure – check Manage My Booking for more information.

Check Manage My Booking for the exact time.

If you're only travelling with hand baggage and already have your boarding pass, you can go straight through security.

If you're travelling on an intercontinental flight from London Heathrow Terminal 3 or Terminal 5 we will need to check your passport and visa before you go through security. Please go to an Assistance desk before you go to security.

If you have baggage to check in, and already have your boarding pass through the British Airways mobile app or our website, you can go directly to the Bag Drop area in the airport with your boarding pass, identification and other required travel documents (e.g. visas).

If you do not have your boarding pass, please use the check-in Kiosks to print your pass before going to the Bag Drop area.

At London Heathrow Terminal 5, London Gatwick and London City airports, once you have a boarding pass, you can get your baggage tags and check your bag in at our Bag Drop points.

• At London Heathrow Terminal 5 the Bag Drop points are in Zone C, D and F of the Departures area.
• At London City the Bag Drop point is on the main Departures concourse.

If you are travelling from London Heathrow Terminal 3, you can print your baggage tags at a check-in Kiosk (even if you have already checked in), attach them to your bags and take them to the Bag Drop area in Departures.

At selected airports, you can check in your bags the afternoon before your flight.

Overnight bag drop is available at these airports:

• London Heathrow Terminal 3: Daily between 16:00-21:30 for flights departing the next day before 10:00
• London Heathrow Terminal 5: Daily between 16:00-22:00 for flights departing the next day before 10:00
• London Gatwick: Daily between 18:00-21:00 for flights departing the next day before 13:00 
• London City: Daily between 16:00-20:30 for flights departing the next day before 10:00 
• Edinburgh airport: Daily between 16:00-20:00 for flights departing the next day before 12:00

To drop off your bag:

• You can use any available bag drop desk. 
• You’ll need your passport and all travel documents required for the journey.
• You’ll need to show your boarding pass for your flight.

If you drop off bags for others travelling with you on the same booking, you’ll also need to show their passports and travel documents.

If you're connecting at an airport that requires you to clear your baggage at the first point of entry and you are connecting to a domestic flight in that country, please follow the signs for 'Arrivals/Baggage reclaim' to collect your bags and check it in again as normal for your connecting flight.

If you are connecting onto another flight, you can check your bags through to your final destination, providing:

• All your flights are on one booking reference with the same ticket number, or
• All your flights are with oneworld airlines booked under the same booking reference, even though you may hold separate ticket numbers.

If you have booked two separate flights with different booking references to reach your final destination, for example Edinburgh to London in one booking followed by London to New York in another booking, you will need to:

• Check in your bags for your first flight e.g. Edinburgh to London.
• Follow the signs for 'Arrivals/Baggage reclaim' in London to collect your bags.
• Check them in again for your second flight e.g. London to New York.
• Allow sufficient time to connect to your next flight – see 'Check-in close times' above.

If you're not sure, please ask a member of staff when you check your bags in at the start of your journey.

Always ensure you have the correct travel documentation for the country you are travelling to.

If you're travelling on an intercontinental flight from London Heathrow Terminal 3 or Terminal 5 we will need to check your passport and visa before you go through security.

If you need additional help for your journey please let us know at least 48 hours before you travel in Manage My Booking and we can arrange this for you.