United Airlines Moves Up Check-In Time for Domestic Travelers

Starting next week, United Airlines flyers on domestic flights without checked baggage will need to check in earlier than they may be used to.

Beginning June 3, all domestic travelers without checked bags must check in at least 45 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time. That’s a change from the previous 30-minute window and now matches the cutoff time for those flying domestically with checked baggage.

The update, first reported by Live and Let’s Fly, is part of an effort to standardize check-in cutoff times and streamline the boarding process. The additional 15 minutes will allow United’s gate agents more time to clear stand-by passengers and upgrades, and to make final decisions about baggage based on available space.

Check-in cutoff times for international flights remain unchanged. Those vary by airport—for example, travelers departing from Amsterdam (AMS), Berlin (BER), Brussels (BRU), Dublin (DUB), Paris (CDG), and Zurich (ZRH) must check in at least 75 minutes before departure. At other airports, including Dakar (DSS), Lagos (LOS), Tel Aviv (TLV), and Toronto (YYZ), the cutoff is 90 minutes prior to departure.