Last updated: 31 October 2026.
Air India lets you check in through its website, its app, a kiosk, a staffed desk at the terminal, or, in two cities, a desk away from the airport. This page sets out the time limits for each route, the paper you end up with, and the checks you still face on arrival at the terminal.
Time limits at a glance
Online check-in starts
- Domestic flights
- Two days (48 hours) ahead of departure
- International flights
- Two days (48 hours) ahead of departure
Online check-in ends
- Domestic flights
- One hour before departure
- International flights
- Two hours prior to take-off
Terminal desks stop accepting passengers
- Domestic flights
- An hour before departure
- International flights
- An hour before departure (an hour and a quarter at Delhi and at London Heathrow)
Gate shuts
- Domestic flights
- Twenty minutes ahead of take-off
- International flights
- Twenty minutes ahead of take-off
Document you receive from online check-in
- Domestic flights
- Boarding pass you can print
- International flights
- Confirmation slip only
The terminal cut-offs above are for airports in India. At London Heathrow the desks stop 75 minutes ahead of the timetable. For any other overseas airport, rely on the time printed on your ticket or posted by the airport.
Online check-in
- You can use the airline's website from any country, any time from two days out until two hours before take-off (one hour for domestic trips).
- You choose your seat as part of the process. For domestic trips you can print the pass yourself. Air India also runs a virtual assistant called AI.g, which handles domestic check-in on the site, the app and WhatsApp.
- Domestic: the result is a pass you can print.
- International: you receive a slip confirming you are checked in, which is not a pass. Show it at the special desks in the terminal so staff can verify your documents and issue the pass. If you have luggage, hand it in at that desk, collect the tags, then move to security.
- If you have bags, get to the terminal desks before they shut, because the bags still have to be handed over.
- Passengers on a codeshare flight cannot use online check-in at present.
App check-in
- The app, available for iPhone and Android, covers flights within India and abroad and includes seat choice.
- It does not work for codeshare tickets.
- You can pick up the paper pass from staff at the terminal desks.
Kiosks
Some airports have self-service machines where you check yourself in and print a pass. They serve domestic flights only. Anyone with bags to hand over should find an Air India agent before the cut-off. Hyderabad airport also offers machines for tagging and dropping bags yourself.
Check-in away from the airport
With a city desk you complete check-in, leave your bags and take your pass before you head to the terminal.
Delhi
- Where
- Two Airport Express Line stations: New Delhi (concourse level) and Shivaji Stadium (concourse level, beside the VFS Global office)
- Hours and timing
- 7 am to 9 pm India time, depending on when the metro runs. Domestic: from 12 hours down to 2 hours before departure. International: from 4 hours down to 2 hours before departure
- Flights
- Domestic and international
Hyderabad
- Where
- Car Park Area / J Pod, in the arrivals zone outside Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
- Hours and timing
- From six hours before departure until an hour before
- Flights
- Air India domestic routes
- Delhi: after you finish at the station, ride the Airport Express Line, a trip of roughly 20 minutes to Terminal 3. Keep in mind the gate closes twenty minutes ahead of take-off, so leave time for security and, on international trips, immigration.
- Hyderabad: the kiosks print your pass and tags. Stick the tag on your bag, put the bag through screening, scan the pass, then place the bag on the weighing belt of the self bag drop. If the bag is too heavy, take it to a staffed desk inside the terminal. Keep the receipt the machine issues once the bag enters the baggage system, then go on to the terminal.
- The Delhi desks also sell extra baggage and upgrades, and let you pick seats. Sports gear, instruments and other special baggage cannot be left there.
- If you need special help, use the terminal desks rather than a city desk. That covers children travelling alone, anyone flying with a pet, and passengers with a health condition.
At the airport
- Bring the ticket (needed to get into the building and at the desk) and a photo ID issued by the government, such as a driving licence, PAN card or passport. Bring paperwork for any medical implant that might trigger the metal detector.
- Bags may go through an X-ray machine before you reach the desk. Hold baggage is also X-rayed, and some pieces are opened by hand. You are patted down and the cabin bag is scanned before you enter the departure zone. At certain airports you may have to point out your own bag, and one more check can take place at the gate or beside the steps up to the plane.
- Knives, pointed scissors and tools must stay out of the cabin. Loose batteries in a cabin bag can be taken away, so put them in your checked bag. Anyone carrying a weapon or ammunition must declare it before check-in.
- Keep medicine, papers, valuables and cash with you in the cabin. Label each bag with your contact details and take off old airline tags. Never leave a bag alone: security may take it away as suspicious.
- Moving up a class at the airport: Air India has a paid offer called Get Upfront.
- Star Alliance Gold travellers can use faster security lanes at many airports, and Air India has a lookup tool for them.
- Fast Track Immigration (FTI-TTP) serves Indian citizens and overseas citizens of India (OCI) at Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin.
- DigiYatra uses facial recognition in place of a pass for domestic trips from the larger Indian airports.
- The Track Your Bags tool follows your hold luggage from drop-off to arrival.
Questions travellers ask us
When does the check-in desk shut?
An hour before departure at Indian airports, and 75 minutes before at Delhi (international) and Heathrow. The gate closes twenty minutes ahead of take-off.
I have a bag. Can I still check in online?
Yes, then give the bag to staff at the desk before it shuts. For international flights, take the confirmation slip along.
Why did I get a slip and not a pass?
That is how online check-in works on international flights. The slip is exchanged for a pass at the airport.
Can I check in online on a codeshare ticket?
No. Neither the website nor the app accepts codeshare tickets at present.
Baggage Allowance is an independent information site and is not part of Air India. Check the airline's own pages before you travel.
12 questions and answers
More importantly, for travel to USA the six month rule is not there for India according to USA government website. Kindly clarify.
There might be errors. Please use the other way of checking in.
Regards,
Arvind Pawaskar, Mumbai, INDIA, Mob. No. 961600656
You can take the print at airport but will have to be in check in queue if there is no kiosk.
It is better to place it in check in.
You will get the boarding pass at Chicago.
If you are ticketed for all legs of journey on single PNR, through check in can be provided. Best practice is to seek through check-in service from the airline.
Does it fit under size limit?
And is it considered as 2x23kgs bag plus 50\"tv or one 23kgs bag and tv ?
No, Air India people have stated time and again that the total size of LED TV allowed is 42 inches. It will be considered as one check in bag but as it might not be allowed, it will have to be sent through cargo. It is still better to ask the local office of Air India. Earlier, the airline used to allow TV of any dimension which was within check in limits of size and weight but now this is not the policy.
Yes it can be carried in the checkin baggage. Not permitted in cabin luggage.
Yes, you can carry liquor upto 5 litres in check in luggage in sealed condition.
30 kg for economy and 40 kg for executive class.
Thanks
Economy class- 2 bags of 23 kg each; Business and First Class- 2 bags of 32 kg each. This is check in allowance of each adult or child passenger (>2 yrs)
Can I book my Lagauge directly to destination from Kolkata?
Kindly inform.
SP Chatterjee
Sr. Citizen
Through check in is permitted but you will have to speak to the airline staff. There are conditions where this might not be feasible and these conditions depend on your flight. Hence, speaking to the airline or your ticketing agent is desirable.
No, if you have only one ticket issued for both segments of flights (meaning that this connecting flight is provided by Air India) you do not have to collect luggage at stopovers. Air India will check it through till the final destination.