Check-in and baggage drop at Düsseldorf Airport: how to do it quickly
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Check-in and baggage drop are the first stops in the terminal – and during the holidays often the first test of patience. At Düsseldorf Airport, depending on the airline, there are traditional counters, check-in kiosks and self bag-drop stations. If you know which option suits you and prepare your luggage properly, you save a lot of time. In this guide we show you how online check-in works, how to avoid excess baggage, what applies to bulky items and what role your parking space plays in a relaxed start.
Key facts at a glance
- With online check-in and hand luggage only, you go straight to security; with a suitcase, only to the bag drop.
- Weigh your suitcase at home and check your allowance – excess baggage at the counter is usually more expensive than booking it online.
- Power banks and spare batteries belong in your hand luggage; register bulky items with the airline in advance.
- After the counter closes, the airline usually no longer accepts luggage.
Three ways to check in
1. Online check-in
Most airlines offer online check-in via their website or app, usually from a certain time before departure. You choose your seat, confirm your details and receive your boarding pass as a PDF or in your smartphone wallet. If you only travel with hand luggage, you go straight to security with it. With a suitcase you then only need to go to the bag drop.
For some destinations – for example flights outside the EU or with visa requirements – airlines require a document check at the counter even if you have checked in online. In that case the airline informs you in the app or by email.
2. Check-in kiosks
At the kiosks in the terminal you can check in, print your boarding pass and, with some airlines, create baggage tags. This is handy if you don’t want to use an app or prefer a paper boarding pass.
3. Check-in at the counter
At the traditional counter, staff check you in and take your luggage. This makes sense if you have questions, special luggage, travel with children or animals, or fly to destinations with a document check. During the holidays the queues are longest here.
Self bag-drop: dropping off your own luggage
Many airlines rely on self bag-drop stations. There you scan your boarding pass, put your suitcase on the belt, print the baggage tag and attach it yourself. The machine weighs the luggage and reports excess weight immediately. It is quick – provided the suitcase has the right weight and size. If there are problems, staff nearby will help.
Preparing your luggage properly
Most delays at the counter are caused by luggage that doesn’t meet the requirements. How to avoid that:
- Check your allowance: how many suitcases and how much weight your fare includes is stated in your booking. Cheap fares often include hand luggage only.
- Weigh at home: a simple luggage scale costs little and saves expensive surprises.
- Add luggage in advance: with many airlines, extra luggage is cheaper online than at the counter.
- Remove old tags: old barcode labels can confuse the sorting system.
- Attach a name tag: your name and phone number on the suitcase help if it gets lost.
- Valuables in your hand luggage: jewellery, electronics, medicines, documents and keys do not belong in the suitcase.
Power banks and batteries
A common reason why suitcases are pulled back after drop-off: power banks and loose lithium batteries in checked luggage. They usually belong in your hand luggage, often with capacity limits. E-cigarettes are usually not allowed in the suitcase either. Check your airline’s rules before you pack.
Bulky and special luggage
Bikes, surfboards, skis, golf bags, musical instruments or large pushchairs count as special luggage. Separate rules apply to them:
- With many airlines you have to register special luggage in advance, often for a fee.
- Drop-off usually takes place at a separate counter for bulky luggage.
- Packaging and protection are your responsibility – a sturdy transport case protects against damage.
- Allow extra time, as checks and drop-off take longer.
If you arrive with bulky luggage, short distances help. With valet parking at Düsseldorf Airport you hand over your car at the meeting point near the terminal and don’t have to heave your luggage onto a shuttle bus. With shuttle providers, it pays to state special luggage in advance so there is enough room on the bus.
Check-in with children
Families should allow a little more time at the counter. With many airlines, pushchairs can be taken to the gate and are loaded there. Car seats and travel cots often count as free luggage for children, but the rules differ. More tips in the guide Travelling with children at Düsseldorf Airport.
When do the counters open and close?
The airlines set the opening hours of the check-in counters. Typically they open a few hours before departure and close a set time beforehand. If you arrive after the counter has closed, you will usually not be checked in – even if the aircraft is still at the gate. The exact times are in your booking documents. How to calculate your schedule is explained in the guide When should I be at Düsseldorf Airport?
Evening-before check-in and early flights
At certain airports, some airlines and tour operators offer evening-before check-in, where you drop your luggage the day before departure. Whether this is possible for your flight from Düsseldorf can be found out from your airline or tour operator. For early flights you will find more tips in the guide Early flight from Düsseldorf Airport.
After check-in: on to security
After dropping your luggage, head to security. Don’t linger too long in the public hall, because that is where the longest waiting times build up at peak times. How to get through quickly is explained in the guide Security check at Düsseldorf Airport.
Parking: the start before check-in
Before you even stand at the counter, you have to park your car. This decides how relaxed your travel day begins. A parking space booked in advance means you know the address, the procedure and the price. With shuttle parking the bus takes you to the terminal; with valet parking you hand over the key at the meeting point. At Friend-Park you see the final price including service fee for every provider and can book directly: Compare parking at Düsseldorf Airport.
Cancellation is free of charge up to 24 hours before the booked start. More in the FAQ on cancellation.
Package holidays and charter flights: check-in specifics
Many holidaymakers fly from Düsseldorf on a package holiday. In that case you don’t book the flight directly with the airline but through the tour operator. For check-in this means: the booking reference for online check-in is in the tour operator’s travel documents and sometimes differs from the trip number. Seat reservations and extra luggage are also often handled by the tour operator. Check your documents a few days before departure so you don’t only notice at the counter that something is missing.
With charter flights in high season, many aircraft often depart in quick succession. The counters of several tour operators are then busy at the same time. Checking in online and only dropping off your suitcase saves the most time here.
If something goes wrong at check-in
- Name misspelled: the name on the ticket must match your ID. Airlines often allow small differences to be corrected – ask early, not at the counter.
- ID expired: without a valid document you will not be carried. Check the expiry date well before the trip; some countries require validity beyond the end of your stay.
- Overbooking: if you are denied boarding despite a valid booking, you have rights under the EU air passenger rights regulation. More in the guide Flight delayed or cancelled.
- Suitcase too heavy: repacking into your hand luggage only helps to a limited extent, because limits apply there too. Better: weigh beforehand.
Checklist for check-in and luggage
- Online check-in done, boarding pass saved
- Allowance checked, suitcase weighed
- Power banks and batteries in your hand luggage
- Valuables, medicines and documents in your hand luggage
- Special luggage registered with the airline
- Name tag on the suitcase, old labels removed
- Parking booked, address in the sat-nav
Conclusion: well prepared, check-in takes minutes
With online check-in, weighed luggage and your airline’s rules in mind, baggage drop at Düsseldorf Airport is done quickly. A parking space booked in advance ensures a stress-free start. All options at a glance are on the page Parking at Düsseldorf Airport, and particularly good-value offers under cheap parking at Düsseldorf Airport.
