Check-in guide · Airlink
Airlink Check-In: Times, Cut-Offs & How It Works
Airlink online check-in opens 24 hours before departure and closes 60 minutes before your flight. Airlink asks passengers to report 2 hours before domestic and 3 hours before international departures. Counters close 30 minutes before domestic and 50 minutes before international flights; bag drop closes 60 minutes before all departures.
Airlink’s check-in structure — stricter than the low-cost carriers
Airlink runs a full-service regional operation across Southern Africa, and its check-in rules reflect that. The airline’s conditions of carriage require you to present yourself at check-in no later than 2 hours before domestic and 3 hours before international/regional departures — a formal requirement, not a friendly suggestion.
The counters themselves close 30 minutes before domestic and 50 minutes before international departures, but the number that catches people is the bag drop: checked bags must be handed in 60 minutes before departure on every route. That is 20 minutes earlier than FlySafair’s domestic cut-off, and it applies even when the check-in counter is technically still open.
Online and mobile check-in
Check in from 24 hours before departure via flyairlink.com or the Airlink mobile app; the online window closes 60 minutes before departure. Print your boarding pass, save it digitally, or collect it at a counter. Hand luggage only? Go straight to the security gates. Have a bag? Head for the Airlink bag drop counter — and if a dedicated bag drop isn’t staffed, any Airlink check-in counter will take the bag.
Codeshare caveat: Airlink carries flight numbers for several international partner airlines. If your Airlink-marketed flight is operated by a partner (or you’re connecting off a long-haul partner flight), online check-in may not be available for that segment — check in with the operating carrier instead.
The small-airport reality: Skukuza, Hoedspruit, Kimberley and friends
This is where Airlink differs from every other SA airline. Its network includes small stations — Skukuza, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, Kimberley, Upington, Mthatha, Margate — and Airlink’s own conditions of carriage state plainly that check-in deadlines differ at some smaller stations.
In practice: a single check-in counter opens for a specific window before the day’s flight and closes on schedule whether or not you’ve arrived. There is no later flight to be rebooked onto the same afternoon at most of these stations. Treat the 2-hour report time as binding at small airports — it exists precisely for them.
Flying to Skukuza or Hoedspruit for a safari? Read our guide on which airport is right for Kruger before you book.
Boarding times and documents
Boarding starts 30 minutes (domestic) or 40 minutes (international) before departure, and gates close 15 minutes (domestic) or 20 minutes (international) before departure. Miss the gate and you’re recorded as a no-show — with your bag offloaded.
- Domestic: a government-issued passport or South African ID; certified copies of ID cards or driver’s licences are accepted if issued within 3 months.
- Children: a birth certificate or certified copy — it does not need to be unabridged.
- Regional/international: valid passport, plus any visas for your destination.
How Airlink’s cut-offs compare to other SA airlines
The same missed alarm plays out differently depending on whose plane you’re on. Here is every major SA domestic airline’s check-in window side by side:
| Airline | Online check-in opens | Online closes | Airport counter / bag drop | Recommended arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlySafair | 24 hrs before | 60 min before | Desks close 40 min (domestic) / 60 min (regional) | 90 min before departure |
| LIFT | 24 hrs before | 45 min before | Counters & bag drop close 45 min | 90–120 min before departure |
| Airlink | 24 hrs before | 60 min before | Counters close 30 min (dom) / 50 min (intl); bag drop 60 min | 2 hrs (dom) / 3 hrs (intl) report time |
| SAA | 24 hrs before | 90 min dom / 2 hrs intl (web) | Domestic counters close 45 min; intl 60 min | 90 min (dom) / 2.5–3 hrs (intl) |
| CemAir | 24 hrs before | Not separately published | Counters open 90 min, close 45 min; bag cut-off 45 min | 90 min before departure |
Cut-off times verified against each airline’s official published guidance, July 2026. Airlines can change these without notice — your booking confirmation is final word.
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Airlink Check-In — Frequently Asked Questions
When does Airlink online check-in open and close?
Airlink online check-in opens 24 hours before scheduled departure via flyairlink.com or the mobile app, and closes 60 minutes before departure.
How early must I report for an Airlink flight?
Airlink's conditions of carriage require passengers to present for check-in no later than 2 hours before domestic and 3 hours before international/regional departures.
What is Airlink's bag drop cut-off?
Checked baggage must be handed in at least 60 minutes before departure on all routes. Bags presented later are not loaded, even if the check-in counter is still open.
Are Airlink check-in times different at small airports?
Yes. Airlink states that check-in deadlines differ at some smaller stations such as Skukuza, Hoedspruit and Kimberley, where a single counter operates for a set window. Treat the 2-hour report time as binding.
Does my child need an unabridged birth certificate to fly Airlink?
No. Airlink accepts a birth certificate or certified copy — it does not need to be the unabridged version for domestic travel.
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