Last updated: 31 October 2026.
The airline advises being at the airport two hours ahead of a US flight and three hours ahead of an international one, which covers check-in, with or without bags, and security.
24 hoursbefore departure when online and app check-in open
45 mincheck-in and bag deadline within the USA
60 mindeadline on flights to or from outside the USA
2 / 3 hoursrecommended arrival: US / international
Key times before scheduled departure
Online or app check-in
- Within the USA
- Opens 24 hours before; closes 45 minutes before
- To or from outside the USA
- Opens 24 hours before; closes 90 minutes before
Airport check-in and bag check
- Within the USA
- No later than 45 minutes before
- To or from outside the USA
- No later than 60 minutes before
Recommended arrival
- Within the USA
- 2 hours
- To or from outside the USA
- 3 hours
Airports with earlier check-in
- 75 minutes: Amsterdam, Aruba, Athens, Auckland, Barcelona, Brisbane, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Georgetown, Lisbon, Madrid, Milan Malpensa, Munich, Naples, Nice, Paris CDG, Prague, Rome, Tel Aviv and Zurich.
- 90 minutes: Caracas, Maracaibo, St. Croix, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Thomas, Anguilla (Wallblake) and the Tampa rental car centre.
- San Juan: 60 minutes.
- Where another carrier, a codeshare partner for instance, operates the flight, its own times govern.
How early you may check bags
- Bags cannot go in more than 4 hours ahead at Boise, Charleston, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Kahului, Kansas City, Key West, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Ontario, Phoenix, Portland (Oregon), San Juan, Salt Lake City, Savannah, Seattle, St. Louis and Tampa.
- Not earlier than 6 hours before at Honolulu and Orlando, and 8 hours before at Newark.
Ways to check in
- Online or in the American app, at a kiosk, or at curbside (needs an electronic ticket you can scan from your phone) at most airports.
- Children travelling alone cannot check in online or at a kiosk.
Questions travellers ask us
When does online check-in open?
One day ahead.
When must I check bags?
45 minutes before a US flight and 60 minutes before an international one.
How early should I arrive?
Two hours in the USA, three hours abroad.
Baggage Allowance is an independent information site and is not part of American Airlines. Check the airline's own pages before you travel.
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