Help topic: Before you fly

Baggage rules vary by airline, fare, route and country. Treat this as general guidance and check your own airline’s rules before you fly.

Baggage rules are one of the most common causes of unexpected costs. The same route can include very different allowances depending on the airline and the fare you choose. A few checks before you book and before you pack can save money and stress.

The three kinds of bags

• Personal item: a small bag such as a handbag or laptop bag that fits under the seat in front.
• Cabin bag (carry-on): a larger bag for the overhead locker. Some low fares don’t include one.
• Checked bag: a bag that goes in the hold. Often included on long-haul fares, often extra on short-haul and low-cost fares.

Where to find your allowance

1. Before you book: look at the fare details on the partner’s site. They list what is included.
2. After you book: check your booking confirmation or e-ticket. Look for the baggage allowance, sometimes shown as a number of pieces or a weight.
3. On the airline’s website: check the size and weight limits for your fare and cabin.

If your trip has more than one airline, check the rules for each. The most restrictive one may apply on some flights.

Before you book

• Compare fares with the bags you actually need. A fare that looks cheap may cost more once a bag is added.
• Adding bags at booking is often cheaper than adding them later or at the airport.
• Check whether a fare family one step up includes a bag. Sometimes it costs about the same as adding one.

Before you pack

1. Measure your cabin bag, including wheels and handles.
2. Weigh your bags at home.
3. Check the rules for liquids, batteries, power banks and sharp items. These are set by airport security and airlines and differ between countries.
4. Pack medicines, documents, valuables and chargers in your cabin bag.

If this, then that

• If your fare doesn’t include a cabin bag, add one online before you fly, or pack only a personal item.
• If your bag is slightly too big, expect the airline to charge or check it in. Gate fees can be high.
• If you are traveling with sports equipment or musical instruments, ask the airline in advance. Special rules usually apply.
• If your checked bag doesn’t arrive, report it at the airport before you leave the baggage hall.

Learn more

• Carry-on rules explained: sizes, liquids and what to pack.
• Low-cost airlines: what is included.
• The true cost of a cheap fare: bags, seats and extras compared.
• Lost or delayed baggage: claims and deadlines.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.

Entry rules vary by country and by nationality, and they change. This is general guidance, not legal advice: always confirm with official government sources.

Having the right documents is your responsibility, and airlines can refuse to let you board without them. Entry rules depend on your nationality, where you are going and where you change planes. Check early, especially before you pay for a flight.

The main documents

• Passport or national ID: many countries require a passport that stays valid for some time after your trip, and some require blank pages.
• Visa: permission to enter a country, applied for before you travel or, for some travelers, on arrival.
• Electronic travel authorization: an online approval some countries require even for visitors who don’t need a visa.
• Transit permission: some countries require a visa or authorization even if you only change planes there.

Before you book

1. Check the entry rules for each country on your trip, including connection points, on official government sources.
2. Check your passport’s expiry date against the rules of each country.
3. Find out how long a visa or authorization takes to get. Some take weeks.
4. Avoid routes that connect through a country you can’t transit without a visa.

When you book

• Enter names exactly as they appear in each traveler’s passport.
• Use the same passport you will travel with, if the partner asks for passport details.
• For children, check whether they need their own passport and any extra documents, such as consent letters, if they travel with one parent or without parents.

Before you fly

1. Print or save copies of visas, authorizations and booking confirmations.
2. Keep your passport in your cabin bag, never in checked luggage.
3. Check whether your destination requires any health documents.
4. Recheck the entry rules a few days before departure. They can change.

If this, then that

• If your passport expires soon, renew it before booking, or check carefully that it meets every country’s rules.
• If you changed your name, book in the name on the passport you will travel with.
• If you are refused boarding for documents, the airline usually doesn’t have to refund you. Check before you go.
• If you are unsure, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting.

Cheaplyfly can’t advise on individual visa cases. For a full checklist, read our guide to passports, visas and electronic travel authorizations. If you are traveling with children, our guide to family and group bookings also helps.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.

Check-in times, fees and boarding rules vary by airline and airport. Use this as a general guide and follow your airline’s instructions.

Check-in confirms you are traveling and gives you a boarding pass. Since you book with an airline or travel site, check-in is always done with the airline that operates your flight, not with Cheaplyfly.

Online check-in

Most airlines let you check in online, on their website or app, some time before departure. The window and rules differ between airlines.

1. Find your airline’s booking reference in your confirmation. If you booked through a travel site, the airline’s reference may be different from the travel site’s.
2. Go to the airline’s website or app and choose check-in.
3. Enter your reference and last name.
4. Add passport details if asked, and choose seats if your fare allows.
5. Download or print your boarding pass.

Some low-cost airlines charge for check-in at the airport, so online check-in can save money.

At the airport

1. Arrive with plenty of time. Airlines and airports publish recommended times, which are longer for international flights and busy periods.
2. Drop checked bags at the bag drop or check-in desk before it closes.
3. Go through security with liquids and electronics ready as the airport asks.
4. For international flights, go through passport control.
5. Find your gate and be there before boarding closes.

Boarding passes

• Mobile boarding passes work at many airports, but not all. Some airlines or airports require paper.
• Keep a screenshot or printed copy in case your phone battery runs low.
• Check the gate and boarding time on the pass and on airport screens. Gates can change.

Connections

On a single booking, your bags are usually checked through and you may receive all boarding passes at once. On separate tickets, you may need to collect bags and check in again. Our guide to how long a layover should be explains what to plan for.

If this, then that

• If online check-in doesn’t work, check your name and reference, then try the airline’s app or check in at the airport.
• If you can’t check in because of documents, the airline may need to see your passport or visa at the desk.
• If your flight time changed, look for an email from the airline or travel site and confirm the new time.
• If you miss check-in or boarding, contact the airline straight away. Options depend on your fare.

Read what low-cost airlines include for check-in and bag rules on budget fares, and long-haul flight comfort for tips once you are on board.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.

Passenger rights vary by country, region and airline, and by the cause of the problem. This is general guidance; your airline and the official rules for your route have the final word.

A delay or cancellation is stressful, but acting calmly and quickly helps. Because your booking is with the airline or travel site, they are the ones who can rebook, refund or help you. Here is a practical plan.

At the airport

1. Check official information. Look at airport screens, the airline’s app and any messages or emails from the airline.
2. Ask about options. Go to the airline’s desk or use its app to ask about the next available flight. Apps are often faster than queues.
3. Ask about care. Depending on the length of the delay and the rules that apply, airlines may provide meals, refreshments or a hotel.
4. Keep records. Keep boarding passes, receipts and screenshots of messages. Note times.

Before you leave for the airport

• Check the flight status on the airline’s website or app.
• Make sure your contact details on the booking are up to date, so you get messages about changes.

Who to contact

• Airline: for rebooking and help at the airport. It operates the flight.
• Travel site: if you booked through one, for refunds and changes to the booking itself.

Cheaplyfly doesn’t hold bookings and can’t rebook or refund flights.

Your rights

In some regions, the law gives passengers rights to care, rebooking, refunds or compensation when flights are delayed or canceled. The rules depend on where you fly from, the airline, the cause and the length of the delay. Some situations, such as extreme weather, may not qualify for compensation.

Our guide to your rights when a flight is delayed or canceled explains the main rules by region.

Missed connections

On a single booking, the airline is usually responsible for getting you to your final destination if a delay makes you miss a connection. On separate tickets, it may not be. Read what to do after a missed connection.

Refunds

If you decide not to travel after a cancellation, you may be able to ask for a refund instead of a new flight. See flight refunds and the 24-hour rule.

If this, then that

• If you are offered a voucher, check whether you are entitled to a cash refund instead before accepting.
• If the airline and the travel site each send you to the other, ask in writing who holds your ticket, and keep the replies.
• If your bags were checked, ask what happens to them if you are rebooked.
• If you have travel insurance, tell your insurer and keep all receipts.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.

Connection rules vary by airline, airport and country. This guide is general; check the details of your own booking before you fly.

Many of the cheapest options have at least one stop. A connection can be smooth and save money, or it can turn a small delay into a big problem. The difference is often in the details.

Single booking or separate tickets?

This is the most important question about any connecting trip.

One booking

All flights are on one ticket. If the first flight is late and you miss the next one, the airline usually rebooks you. Your bags are often checked through to your final destination.

Self-transfer (separate tickets)

The flights are separate bookings joined together, sometimes by a travel site. If the first flight is late, the second airline may treat you as a no-show. You may need to collect bags, check in again and pass security, and sometimes immigration.

Check the partner’s site before you book. Self-transfer trips are usually labeled, and the booking details make clear whether the trip is protected.

How long should a layover be?

Each airport sets a minimum connection time for flights on one booking. That is a minimum, not a comfortable target. Allow more time when:

• You change terminals or airports.
• You pass immigration or security again.
• You collect and recheck bags.
• You travel at busy times or in bad weather seasons.
• The connection is on separate tickets.

Our guide to how long a layover should be gives practical planning ideas.

Using Cheaplyfly to compare

1. On the results page, check the stops and total travel time on each card.
2. Use the Stops filter to compare direct and one-stop options.
3. Use Max travel time to hide very long connections.
4. Before paying, check the connection details on the partner’s site.

Documents for connections

Some countries require a visa or authorization even to change planes. Check the rules for every country on your route, especially on self-transfer trips where you may need to enter the country.

If this, then that

• If a self-transfer saves only a little, a single booking may be worth the difference.
• If you must self-transfer, leave a long gap, travel with cabin bags only, and consider insurance that covers missed connections.
• If you miss a connection, go to the airline’s desk or app straight away. See what to do after a missed connection.

Read more in self-transfer flights: how they save money and what can go wrong.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.

Airline policies for children, infants and groups vary, and so do document rules between countries. Use this as general guidance and confirm with your airline.

Booking for a family or group takes a little more care. Prices, seats and documents all work differently when more people are involved. Here is what to know, from search to boarding.

Searching for several travelers

1. Open Travelers and cabin in the search box.
2. Add adults (12 and over), children (2 to 11) and infants (under 2, on an adult’s lap).
3. You can search for up to 9 travelers in total, and each infant needs an adult.

Prices on Cheaplyfly are per adult. The partner shows the total for everyone before you pay, including child and infant fares.

Why group prices can be higher

Airlines sell a limited number of seats at each price. A fare might be available for two people but not for five, so part of the group is priced higher. If the total looks high, try nearby dates, or search for fewer people to see where the price changes.

Sitting together

• Some fares include seat selection, and some charge for it.
• Airlines have their own policies for seating young children with an adult. Check them when you book.
• Choosing seats early gives the best chance of sitting together.

Infants

• Infants usually travel on an adult’s lap, with their own ticket or fee.
• Ask the airline about bassinets, car seats and strollers. Rules vary by airline and aircraft.
• An infant who turns 2 during the trip may need a seat for later flights.

Documents for children

Children usually need their own passport. Some countries require extra documents, such as a consent letter, when a child travels with one parent or with other adults. Read our travel documents checklist.

Large groups

For more than 9 travelers, search in smaller groups or contact the airline’s group bookings team directly. Group bookings sometimes have different payment and name-change rules.

Price alerts for families

Alerts follow the price per adult. When an alert email arrives, search with your full group to see the total, because seats at the lowest fare may be limited.

If this, then that

• If you can’t add more infants, each infant must have an adult. Add another adult or book a seat for the child.
• If the total is much higher than the price shown, check the number of travelers and what is included, such as bags and seats.
• If you need help at the airport, ask the airline about family check-in or assistance when you book.

Our guide to booking flights for families and groups has more tips on seats, kids and savings.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.