At the airport

Give yourself extra time to get through the airport, particularly if you’re travelling during busy periods, such as school holidays. You can also be prepared by doing some things before you get to the airport, including checking in.

Check in online

Take the stress out of travelling by checking in up to nine people using ba.com or the British Airways app. Choose your seats and print or download all your boarding passes onto one mobile device, as early as 24 hours before your flight is due to depart, plus receive gate notifications (iPhone only). Many of the same features are also available with the iPad app.

If you'd like to take more bags than your free checked baggage allowance, you can purchase extra bags — up to 10 in total per person, including your free allowance. It’s cheaper to pay for extra bags in advance on ba.com, which you’ll need to do before you check in.

Check in at the airport

If you can’t check in online, you can use one of our check-in desks where our staff will be pleased to help you.

If you’re travelling from London Heathrow Terminal 5, use our family check-in exclusive for parents with children, located in Zone E. These have direct access to oversized baggage belts for pushchairs and car seats, designed to make your check in easier and faster.

Children can also collect their complimentary Skyflyers activity pack from the Family and Club World check in at Heathrow Terminal 5, Gatwick and London City — sure to help keep them entertained while in the air.

Boarding

To make things easier for you, we always invite families with infants under 2 and young children in pushchairs to board first, so that you and your family can get settled on board. Please get to the gate at least 45 minutes before departure so that you are ready to board and we have enough time to load your pushchair in the hold.

Your boarding gate number is published an hour before departure and you'll find this on the airport screens, your boarding pass and the BA mobile app (iPhone only). 

Please note the gate closing time shown on your boarding pass. If you arrive late to the boarding gate, you won't be able to travel.

If you're an Executive Club Gold or Silver Member, you can bring your child into the lounge to relax with you as a guest, however you'll be unable to bring both your partner and your child if you’re travelling as a family.

You can keep your little ones entertained with My 1st Years toys and mini ride-on aeroplanes while they wait to board, in our exclusive Skyflyer Kids Zones in our London Heathrow Terminal 5 Club South, Club North and Terminal 5B Club Lounges, London Heathrow Terminal 3 First and Club Lounges and London Gatwick.