Boarding Pass Question

Delta airlines will definitely want to see your passport. If their site allows you to checkin and print a boarding pass then typically you do not need to stop at the checkin counter upon arrival at the airport. You will however need to present your passport for entry into the system for your flight. This is best done sooner than later. After security simply go to your gate agent, ticket counter agent or Delta lounge and present your passport.

I don’t know Delta or Seatac, but have been in the situation you described in multiple airport with multiple different airlines.

I’ve encountered several iterations of resolution.

1. As described above. I’ve had an online boarding pass. Went to security, showed passport to gate agent when arrived at gate. Also been paged while waiting at gate to show passport.

2. Went through security followed by airport lounge. Paged as I walked to gate. They wanted to see my passport and were irritated that I wasn’t at gate earlier. Their problem!

3. Not allowed to get online boarding pass. I could get a pass at an airport kiosk which also verified passport upon insertion.

4. Not allowed to get online boarding pass. Had to go through manned check-in even with only carryon.

It will be obvious at the point online check in is available. You may be allowed to check in, but not print a boarding pass. If that’s the case, the last two scenarios above should apply. There will be some sort of auto message if printing/downloading the boarding pass isn’t allwed.

Enjoy your trip!

Get the Delta app on your phone, that's where you can see your boarding pass - no need to waste paper these days

ORDTraveler has it exactly right. If you have your boarding pass, you can go through security and directly to the gate without checking in. Once there, go to the desk and let them check your passport.

We had a similar situation at LAX this past fall. We flew SAS and weren’t able to check-in, or receive our boarding passes online. We also were doing carry-ons so I was dreading having to wait in line. Thankfully LAX had the self-serve kiosks where we simply scanned our passports and received our boarding passes. There was no wait and it took no more than 1 minute.

SEA may have something similar at the airport. You can usually do quick search online and see if someone has done the research about these kiosks for you.

While I can't speak for Delta, American Airlines now allows you to scan your passport online during the check in process. Once you do that and make sure they have all the information they need, you will be issued a boarding pass..

The only time I have to show my passport now is as I'm about to board the aircraft.

I do everything via the AA app.

Why would you even take advice from anyone on this subject. You know what the airlines want you to do? Why risk being turned around or worse because you followed the advice of someone and not the airlines you are using.

Why would you even take advice from anyone on this subject.

Because she wants some input from those who have been in similar situations. There is nothing wrong with that. And even if that input does not apply in her case, she will find out soon enough when she tries to check in. If she can't (and that has happened to me flying on a codeshare), then she can just check in at the airport. It's not like she is going to be arrested or anything.

I am a Delta flyer and agree with Ramonelee. I fly from Spokane to Seattle and then on to somewhere in Europe. About half the time I will be able to get a boarding pass, other times not. On the times when I get the boarding pass, I enter the small Spokane airport and check out the desk. IF there is no line, I'd go ahead and get my passport OK'd there. If there's a line I proceed thru Security and then check in with the gate agent. I Do have the Delta App and I have all my passport information loaded but they still want to see you physically have your passport with you.

I've not started a trip from Seattle, but agree with the advice for Delta .... if you are able to get a boarding pass when you check in online, go ahead thru security and then plan to be at the gate ahead of time to let them verify documents.

Have a wonderful time!

Does Delta already have your API (Advance passport information)? Have they already informed you that you will need to show your passport at the check-in desk?

I cannot speak to Delta procedure, but we do fly out of s SEA. We have been flying British Airlines for the last 14 years, are members of their mileage program, and have entered our API into each booking. They still want us to come to the check-in desk and show our passports. We can check-in online, but not get our boarding passes that way. (Often we CAN get our boarding passes online coming the other direction, say from Italy to London for our flight home).

You won’t know for sure which it is until you check in 24 hours ahead; either you will get your boarding passes (you need all three) or you won’t.

As for checking a bag, I would avoid that if possible on an itinerary like this, with 2 plane changes. How long is your layover at ATL? My kids Flew Delta from Seattle to Zurich to meet us last summer, with a plane change at JFK. The layover was short-ish (90 minutes) and their bags did not make the second flight. It was 6 days before the bags caught up with us.

Delta has a Fly-Ready service on the app or on the website that can take you to upload docs and information for your trip. That will get you one step closer. I still have to stop at the desk at Sea-Tac to show the physical passport, but it's usually very quick.

Been there done that. Delta wants to see your passport before they give you a boarding pass. I know it’s frustrating but that’s the way it is. You can try the kiosks but last summer we still had to go to counter. The agent shrugged, smiled and said can we see your passport, please….

We have had several international trips from SeaTac. Yes, if you can check-in on-line or through their app, you won’t have to go to the Delta desk. The desk at the gate will call your name to check it.

I will differ and say that I always pause at their kiosks and get a physical boarding pass. There’s been the odd time at international trips where they wanted to see a physical ticket, and with the long lines at SeaTac, I wouldn’t want a possible delay.

Check and see that your “fly ready” info is already loaded on their site ahead of time, too.

Have a great time!

On a recent United international flight when checking in online they wanted a scan of our passports, and the app opened up the camera on the phone to take it. Then when boarding they wanted to see the boarding pass and our passports to ensure the names matched. Never had to go to a desk.

We flew British Airways non stop PDX-LHR this past September. Went to the counter upon arrival at PDX and passports were checked and boarding passes issued. Easy peasy. No checked bags for our month long trip to England, France and Italy. Two carryons and two small personal bags. We did laundry in London at a laundromat and used washers in air bnbs. Having my “stuff” with me reduces stress. We have run through airports before trying to make connections due to late arriving flights. At times your two hour layover is reduced to 10 minutes!! We would never have seen our checked bags for the rest of the trip if we had not done carryon exclusively!

Returning to PDX from MXP to LHR was a nightmare on British Airways. So many passengers and so few BA customer service agents working!! We were at check in counter at 0600 or so, about 3 hours prior to departure and waited in line for at least 35-40 minutes. Always check in on line the day before! There were two lines at MXP; one for those not checked in online and one for those who had checked in online. People who had not checked in online were starting to yell as their line was so slow.

Arrival at LHR with customs and immigration was a breeze. Long layover for a later flight that afternoon.

Thanks everyone, this has been an interesting read! Your experiences have been all over the board. I truly believe that I won’t know until I TRY to check-in online the day before. I even contacted Delta today and received 2 totally opposite responses, even they don’t know! Pam from Coeur d’Alene, I think you summed it up saying “about half the time”! Even with Fly Ready, pre-scanning the passport, and filling in all the advanced information items it’s still a crap shoot. The Delta employee I chatted with even mentioned the possibility of random selection. So there you go. It all boils down to a Great Big IF that no one can reliably predict prior to actually trying to check-in online.

Pam, one additional question… What has been your experience getting boarding passes onlline (or at a kiosk) when one leg is a codeshare? In this case it’s Air Europa.

planning to use carry-on only

Please check the carry-on size for the flight to Mallorca. It may be smaller than Delta to Madrid.

Carolyn, the only codeshare I've been on lately was Air France ... so Delta from Spokane to Seattle and Seattle to Paris, then Air France from Paris to Milan all on the same ticket. I don't exactly remember but in looking back at my Apple Wallet I see boarding passes for all 3 flights so I must have been able to check in online to have them loaded there. The times I've not been able to check in online I have also not been able to pull up passes in my Apple Wallet.

Your conversation with the Delta CS sounds normal, lol. To me there is no rhyme or reason as to why the online check in works sometimes for International and doesn't other times. I've had the same information in my FlyReady folder since Covid. I'm flying out of the same airport and generally going to either Paris, Amsterdam, Italy or someplace in UK. No weird travel. No changes in my address. My weight and fitness levels are fluctuating but thank goodness they can't see that and judge, hahaha!!

If you are relying on any electronic device be it a phone or IPad, to show any boarding passes at airports, tickets at museums or events, etc,…….take a screen shot of the relevant documents!

If there is no cell service, or no wifi, or you’ve just landed somewhere and have no phone plan yet; at least you will still have a copy to show.

I never travel without doing this first.