Yes, you may check your baggage curbside with a skycap at most airports (applies for domestic travel only), nwa.com Luggage Check Kiosks (select airports), or with a Northwest agent. Inform the agent that you have already checked in using nwa.com check-in.  Click here for information on Baggage Guidelines and Policies. 

nwa.com check-in is available less than 24 hours but more than 60 minutes prior to flight departure. Please use a self-service check-in airport kiosk or see a Northwest agent at the airport for assistance if you are within 60 minutes of departure or try again later if you are more than 24 hours from departure.

Note: For your convenience, you will be prompted to check in for both your outbound and return flights if your return flight is within 24 hours of the original check-in period.

Your E-Ticket or reservation may contain flight segments on other airlines. Self-service check-in is available for the following flights:

1. All regularly scheduled flights operated by Northwest Airlines (including Airlink partners, Mesaba and Pinnacle Airlines)*
2. KLM-operated flights originating in the U.S.
3. Connecting flights operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air and Hawaiian Airlines.  The first originating flight must be operated by Northwest Airlines(except KLM flights where indicated).

*nwa.com check-in is available for Northwest operated flights from London's Gatwick Airport. Check-in on klm.com for all other Northwest/KLM operated flights from Europe. Online check-in is not yet available for flights from Paris, France.

You will receive security information as part of your check-in process. For more information on airport procedures, please click here. 

Yes, nwa.com check-in provides you with the option to fax your boarding pass to fax numbers within the 50 U.S.

At this time, only boarding passes will be faxed. Other check-in documents such as E-Ticket receipts, verification cards and confirmation cards will not be faxed. E-Ticket receipts may be printed online by accessing your reservation through the View/Change Reservations feature on nwa.com before or after your scheduled departure date. Charges or fees collected during the check-in process will be displayed on the E-Ticket receipt in the Miscellaneous Charges section.

Boarding passes may be faxed to you 2 hours or more prior to departure, in order to allow sufficient time for fax processing.

Boarding passes may arrive to your fax machine within minutes of your request, or as long as 20 minutes if the fax number was entered correctly and the fax line is not busy. If the fax number you provided is busy, we will continue to attempt to fax your boarding pass up to 5 times during within an hour after your request has been submitted.

At this time, boarding passes may only be faxed to fax numbers that follow the 3-3-4 scheme (ie; 555-555-5555), which is limited to U.S. and other North American fax numbers.

You must contact Northwest Airlines at 1-800-225-2525 prior to flight departure to retain the value of your ticket. Applicable fees and penalties in accordance with the fare rules may apply for changes.

You may reprint your boarding pass on nwa.com by visiting the check-in process again, or visit a self-service check-in kiosk at the airport.

If you are not checking baggage, proceed directly to the flight departure gate and wait for your row to be called to board (except departures from Canada, where passengers are required to stop at the ticket counter to have travel documents verified). Be sure to verify your gate assignment when you arrive at the airport.

Bonus miles offers occasionally apply, please check the Promotions List on nwa.com.  

You must be on board the aircraft at least:

• 15 minutes prior to departure on flights between the 50 U.S.
• 30 minutes prior to departure on all other flights, including Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and India.

If you are unable to take the flight after printing your boarding pass, you must contact Northwest Airlines prior to flight departure to retain the value of your E-Ticket.

E-Ticket receipts may be printed online by accessing your reservation through the View/Change Reservations feature on nwa.com before or after your scheduled departure date. Charges or fees collected during the check-in process will be displayed on the E-Ticket receipt in the Miscellaneous Charges section.

Once you have requested a fax, you are checked-in for your flights. If you haven't received your fax, you may re-fax your boarding documents, or proceed to the airport and print new boarding passes using a Self-service Check-in Kiosk.

Once you have requested a fax, you are checked-in for your flights. You may re-fax your boarding documents, or proceed to the airport and print new boarding passes using a Self-service Check-in Kiosk.

nwa.com check-in is available for Northwest operated flights and for select partner carriers. In cases where nwa.com check-in is unable to issue boarding passes for partner flights, please proceed to the departure gate at the city where you connect to the partner flight to obtain boarding passes.

Yes. When your itinerary is displayed during the check-in process, click on the seat assignment you would like to change. You will be presented with a seat map showing available seats. When you click on a seat, your itinerary and new seat will be displayed.  The seats can be changed only for Northwest and Airlink-operated flights. 

Yes, Northwest WorldPerks, KLM Flying Blue, Continental OnePass, Delta Skymiles or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan frequent flyer number can be added to the reservation during check-in. After check-in is initiated,  'Please verify itinerary' screen is displayed. On this screen, select 'FREQUENT FLYER NBR' to add or modify the desired frequent flyer number. 

Yes, there are three ways to upgrade. If all passengers checking in are Northwest WorldPerks Elite members, and the itinerary qualifies for an Elite upgrade, a complimentary upgrade will be offered, subject to availability. Full fare passengers may also be offered an E-First paid upgrade for a nominal fee, again subject to availability (excludes departures from Canada). Additionally, if the reservation qualifies, customers may also use WorldPerks miles to upgrade during check-in on nwa.com. See nwa.com for additional information regarding E-First Upgrades or Mileage Upgrades.

FlyNowsm is a product allowing customers to make same-day domestic flight changes for a fee on qualifying flights. The option is available on the scheduled day of departure at the time of check-in. Previously, the FlyNowsm option was limited to flight changes within three shours of check-in or the original flight FlyNowsm changes can be made for the flgith with the same origin and destination either earlier or later than the original flight.

If you check-in your baggage with a skycap prior to checking in for your flight, the baggage will be checked through on your scheduled flight. We will make every effort to reroute your baggage on the standby flight. If you check baggage after using the self-service standby option, your baggage will be checked on the selected standby flight(s).

Please bring your baggage receipts with you and claim your baggage upon arrival to your destination. To arrange for delivery of your baggage, please visit our baggage service office at your destination.

Once you have confirmed check-in and requested a fax, you are checked-in for your flights. You may either re-enter the check-in process and print your boarding documents, or proceed to the airport and print new boarding passes using a Self-service Check-in Kiosk.