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At the Airport

Checking In for Flights
Making Connecting Flights
Express Security Checkpoints

Checking In for Flights

Northwest Airlines is pleased to offer our E-Ticket passengers two easy self-service check-in options:

  • nwa.com check-in -- Within 24 hours of departure, you can check in for your flight and print your boarding pass from your home or office PC.
  • Self-service Check-in Kiosks -- In less than two minutes you can complete your check in at one of our airport self-service kiosks.

Photo Identification
A government-issued picture ID is required to check in all passengers 18 years of age and older. Proof of age is recommended, but not required for minors under 18 years of age. A Passport or a copy of the birth certificate are acceptable forms of ID as proof of age for minors.

International Documentation
Proper documentation is required for entry into foreign countries. Check with Northwest Airlines, your travel agent or the appropriate consulates and embassies prior to your departure to confirm all documentation requirements.

Guidelines for Checking In on Domestic Flights (including Hawaii) 
To ensure an on-time departure, reservations and advance seat assignments may be cancelled if the passenger has not checked in and received a boarding pass at least 30 minutes prior to departure and/or is not onboard the aircraft at least 15 minutes prior to departure. If you are checking luggage, you must do so no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for flights between the 50 United States (45 minutes if departing from Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, Tampa or Washington, D.C.-Dulles, and 60 minutes for Las Vegas). All passenger reservations are subject to cancellation, and passengers may not be eligible for denied boarding compensation.

Guidelines for Checking In on International Flights (including Canada/Mexico/Caribbean/Puerto Rico)
Recommended arrival time for international flights is at least 2 hours prior to departure (3 hours if departing from London-Gatwick or Frankfurt airports). All reservations and advance seat assignments may be cancelled if the passenger has not checked in and received a boarding pass at least 60 minutes prior to departure and may not be eligible for denied boarding compensation if they are not onboard the aircraft at least 30 minutes prior to departure. If you are checking luggage, you must do so no later than 60 minutes for international flights, including Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

 Making Connecting Flights

Be sure to incorporate connection time into your travel plans. When flying domestically, it's best to allow at least 30 minutes to make your connecting flight. If your flight includes an international leg, refer to the timetable below for recommended connection times.

Northwest Domestic City to Northwest International City

Amsterdam: 50 minutes
Boston: 1 hour
Detroit: 40 minutes
New York - JFK: 40 minutes
Los Angeles: 30 minutes
Memphis: 30 minutes
Miami: 30 minutes
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 40 minutes
Chicago - O'Hare: 30 minutes
Seattle/Tacoma: 30 minutes
San Francisco: 40 minutes
Tampa: 30 minutes
Tokyo (Narita): 50 minutes

Northwest International City to Northwest Domestic City

Amsterdam: 50 minutes
Boston: 1 hour
Detroit: 1 hour 30 minutes
New York - JFK: 1 hour 45 minutes
Los Angeles: 1 hour 30 minutes
Memphis: 1 hour
Miami: 1 hour
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 1 hour 15 minutes
Chicago - O'Hare: 1 hour 30 minutes
Seattle/Tacoma: 1 hour
San Francisco: 1 hour 30 minutes
Tampa: 1 hour

Express Security Checkpoints

Northwest is pleased to offer Express Security Checkpoints at select airports for WorldPerks Platinum and Gold Elite members, as well as First and World Business Class customers. Simply present your First or World Business Class boarding pass or your WorldPerks membership card at the Express Security Checkpoint. View a list of airports where Express Security Checkpoints are currently available.

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