Lufthansa’s New Online Check-In Rules: What Budapest Travellers Need to Know
One last coffee, a final stroll along the Danube, then back to your hotel to check in for tomorrow’s flight. If you’re flying with Lufthansa or several other Lufthansa Group airlines, that familiar routine now comes with an extra step: signing in to a customer account.
The group is gradually making Travel ID mandatory for online check-in through its airlines’ websites and apps. For visitors departing from Budapest, the change already applies to most eligible bookings, following its introduction on 20 October 2026. You can still check in at the airport without creating an account, but if you prefer to have your boarding pass ready before leaving your hotel, it’s worth getting organised in advance.
What Has Changed About Lufthansa Online Check-In?
Previously, passengers could generally access online check-in using their booking reference or ticket number and their name. Under the new system, most travellers must also sign in with a Travel ID account before completing check-in on the affected airlines’ websites or apps. Having your booking confirmation handy is still useful, but those booking details alone will no longer be enough in most cases.
The requirement covers Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss and Discover Airlines. Eurowings and ITA Airways are not currently included in this particular rollout, so don’t assume that every airline associated with the Lufthansa Group follows the same rule.
When Do the New Rules Apply to Flights From Budapest?
The rollout depends on where your flight departs, rather than where you booked your ticket or where you live. The first stage began on 20 October 2026 for departures from the Schengen Area, excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Budapest falls within that first phase, meaning the account requirement is already relevant to visitors flying home from the Hungarian capital on affected bookings.
On 2 November, the requirement expanded to departures from European non-Schengen countries, Austria, Germany except Frankfurt and Munich, and Switzerland except Zurich. Munich, Zurich, the United States, Canada and Mexico follow on 16 November. Frankfurt and all remaining regions join on 30 November 2026, completing the worldwide rollout.
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For a return trip to Budapest, this phased introduction means the check-in experience may differ between your outward and homeward journeys during the transition. A departure from Frankfurt before 30 November, for example, falls under a later implementation date than a departure from Budapest.
What Is Travel ID?
Travel ID is the Lufthansa Group’s shared digital login. Rather than creating separate accounts for different participating airlines, you can use one account to access their digital services. Your profile can store personal details and travel documents, helping reduce the amount of information you need to enter again when booking or checking in.
Travel ID can also be connected with Miles & More, the group’s loyalty programme. However, the immediate reason to set up an account is straightforward: for most affected passengers, signing in is becoming part of the online check-in process.
If you already have a Travel ID, try signing in before your check-in window opens. Sorting out a forgotten password from your hotel is considerably less stressful than doing it while watching the airport departure screens.
Does Everyone in a Family Need an Account?
Fortunately, no. When one person checks in everyone on a booking, only that person needs a Travel ID. If you’re visiting Budapest with your partner, children or a few friends on the same reservation, you don’t need to create a separate account for every traveller simply to complete online check-in. Each passenger will still need their own boarding pass.
There is also an option for passengers who cannot manage online check-in themselves. Another person may use their own Travel ID to help them check in. Lufthansa Group specifies that this arrangement is intended for personal assistance, rather than as a general alternative check-in service.
Who Can Still Check In Online Without Travel ID?
Several exceptions remain. Passengers holding tickets issued by another airline are exempt, as are passengers whose Lufthansa Group-issued ticket covers a flight operated by another airline. Group bookings and selected tour operator or charter bookings also qualify for exceptions.
The package-holiday exception deserves a closer look. Booking a flight as part of a holiday package does not automatically remove the account requirement. The exemption applies to selected arrangements where a dedicated check-in option allows passengers to use details supplied by their travel agency or tour operator. If that describes your trip, follow the instructions provided with your booking rather than assuming the standard airline login process applies.
Can You Check In at Budapest Airport Without an Account?
Yes. If you would rather not create a Travel ID, you can still check in at an airport counter or a self-service check-in kiosk where available. The new account requirement concerns online check-in through the affected airlines’ websites and apps; it does not make an account compulsory for airport check-in.
At Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, check-in counters are on the upper departures level of Terminals 2A and 2B. Check the airport’s flight information screens for your flight’s assigned counters instead of choosing a terminal solely because your destination is inside or outside the Schengen Area. Counter opening and closing times vary by airline, so check your carrier’s instructions before planning when to leave the city.
How to Check In Online Before Leaving Budapest
For Lufthansa flights, online check-in generally opens 30 hours before departure. Other airlines may use different check-in windows, so follow the timing shown in your booking or check-in invitation rather than assuming that every Lufthansa Group carrier follows the same schedule.
Once check-in opens, sign in with your Travel ID, retrieve your booking and complete the requested passenger and travel-document information. You can then choose from the available seating options and obtain your boarding pass, subject to any further checks required for your journey. Lufthansa allows passengers to print their boarding pass or have it sent to their mobile phone.
Check exactly what the system issues at the end. If it tells you to collect your boarding pass at the airport or present documents to staff, allow time for that visit rather than heading straight to security.
Online Check-In and Baggage Drop Are Different Things
Getting your boarding pass online does not mean your checked luggage is taken care of. If you’re travelling with a suitcase for the aircraft’s hold, you must still hand it over at your airline’s designated counter or an eligible self-service baggage drop-off point at Budapest Airport.
For participating flights, Budapest Airport’s self-service system lets you scan your printed or mobile boarding pass, print a baggage tag and attach it to your suitcase. You then scan the tag at an automated drop-off counter and hand over the bag through the system. A pictogram on the airport’s flight information screens identifies flights for which the service is available.
These baggage machines should not be confused with check-in kiosks. Self-service baggage drop starts with a boarding pass you already have; it is not a substitute for completing passenger check-in.
Leave Time for More Than Check-In
Whether you check in from your hotel or at the airport, your airline’s deadlines still matter. Budapest Airport notes that check-in counters close at a fixed time before departure, with the exact cutoff depending on the carrier. Online check-in does not extend that deadline for dropping off luggage, and it does not replace the need to reach your gate at the time specified for boarding.
Before leaving Budapest, make sure your boarding pass is accessible, your travel documents are ready and you know whether you need to visit a counter. Then keep an eye on the airport screens for your gate and any updates. The new Travel ID requirement adds a little preparation, but dealing with it before your final morning leaves more room to enjoy the last few hours of your Budapest trip.
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