Published 14 November 2026 | Updated 14 November 2026 by Kate Acaster
Qatar Airways check in opens online and in the app 48 hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before. The airport desk stays open longer. According to Qatar’s help centre, it closes 60 minutes before departure in Economy and 45 minutes before in First and Business. Qatar still advises you to arrive at least three hours early.
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Qatar Airways check-in times
These are the times on Qatar’s own pages.
| Check-in step | Time before departure |
|---|---|
| Online and app check-in opens | 48 hours. Flights from the US: 24 hours. Flights to the US: 24 hours before the flight leaves Doha |
| Online and app check-in closes | 90 minutes |
| Airport desk closes, Economy | 60 minutes |
| Airport desk closes, First and Business | 45 minutes |
| Qatar’s advice on arriving at the airport | At least 3 hours |
Online check-in shuts first: 30 minutes before the Economy desk, 45 before First and Business. Miss the online window and you’ll need the airport desk instead.
Qatar Airways check in online, step by step
Qatar’s online check-in page says it covers flights operated by Qatar Airways, and trips that start on one.
- Check in on qatarairways.com or in the Qatar Airways app, from 48 hours before departure until 90 minutes before.
- Use a mobile boarding pass if your departure airport accepts one, or print your pass.
- If you have hold bags, use Qatar’s fast bag drop counter where your airport has one.
If another airline runs the first flight on your trip, Qatar says to reconfirm the check-in requirements with that airline.
UK airports: mobile boarding passes, kiosks and bag drop
Five UK airports are on the mobile boarding pass list. Four also have self-service kiosks, and two have automated bag drop.
| Airport | Mobile boarding pass | Self-service kiosk | Automated bag drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | Yes (listed as ‘London’) | Yes | Yes |
| London Gatwick | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Manchester | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birmingham | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Edinburgh | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
The mobile list says ‘London’ rather than naming Heathrow. We’ve read it as Heathrow, because Gatwick is listed separately. If your airport isn’t on the list, print your boarding pass before you leave home.
Passport control in Doha
Qatar Airways’ hub is Hamad International Airport in Doha. Qatar says you won’t need a printed boarding pass to use the e-gates there, but you will at passport control.
“I’d still print a boarding pass, even with the app on my phone. If you’re starting or ending your trip in Doha and get sent to a passport desk rather than an e-gate, the one on your screen won’t do. It takes two minutes at home and weighs nothing.”
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
What Qatar’s conditions of carriage say
Qatar’s Conditions of Carriage don’t give a number of minutes. They say you must reach check-in and the gate early enough to clear government checks, and no later than the time Qatar has given you. If you’re late, or don’t have the right documents, the airline may cancel your seat and won’t delay the flight.
- If you check in, then pull out without a valid reason and tell Qatar less than three hours before departure, it can claim back the costs if that delays the flight. These include taking your bags off the plane.
- None of the Qatar pages we read gives a time for the boarding gate to close.
Related airline and airport guides
- How early to arrive at the airport
- Emirates check in times
- Turkish Airlines check in times
- Lufthansa check in times
- Manchester Airport Terminal 2
- Avios points explained
Qatar Airways check-in: FAQs
When does Qatar Airways online check-in open?
Forty-eight hours before departure, on the website or in the app. On flights from the US it opens 24 hours before. On flights to the US it opens 24 hours before the flight leaves Doha.
When does Qatar Airways online check-in close?
Ninety minutes before departure. After that you’ll need to check in at the airport.
When does the Qatar Airways check-in desk close?
Sixty minutes before scheduled departure in Economy, and 45 minutes before in First and Business. Qatar advises arriving at least three hours before departure.
Can I use a mobile boarding pass at UK airports?
Qatar lists Birmingham, Edinburgh, London (which we read as Heathrow), London Gatwick and Manchester among the airports that accept a mobile boarding pass.
Do I need a printed boarding pass in Doha?
Not for the e-gates. Qatar says passengers going through passport control need a printed boarding pass.
Can I check in online if my first flight is with another airline?
Qatar’s online check-in covers trips where the first flight is operated by Qatar Airways. Otherwise it recommends reconfirming the check-in rules with the airline that operates your first flight.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
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