Checking in at the Airport
Use these natural French phrases to confidently present your travel documents, check your luggage, choose your seat, and find your boarding gate at the airport.
Key Phrases
Bonjour, je voudrais m'enregistrer pour le vol qui part à 14 heures pour Montréal.
neutralHello, I would like to check in for the flight leaving at 2 PM for Montreal.
A clear, standard way to state your purpose at the desk using a relative clause ('qui part').
Bonjour, c'est bien ici qu'on s'enregistre pour le vol Air France de 14 heures ?
casualHi, is this the right place to check in for the 2 PM Air France flight?
Using 'c'est bien ici que' is a very natural spoken way to confirm you are in the right line.
Voici mon passeport. Est-ce qu'il faut que je vous montre aussi ma réservation ?
neutralHere is my passport. Do I need to show you my booking as well?
Uses the subjunctive 'il faut que je vous montre' (it is necessary that I show you).
Tenez, j'ai mon passeport, mais je n'ai pas pu imprimer le billet chez moi.
casualHere, I have my passport, but I couldn't print the ticket at home.
'Tenez' (here you go) is a natural conversational filler when handing something to someone.
J'aurais une grosse valise à enregistrer en soute, comment est-ce que je dois procéder ?
politeI have a large suitcase to check in, how should I go about it?
Using the conditional 'j'aurais' makes the statement softer and more polite.
J'ai cette valise à enregistrer, je la mets directement sur le tapis roulant ?
casualI have this suitcase to check, do I put it straight on the conveyor belt?
Forming a question by simply raising your pitch at the end of a statement is very common in spoken French.
Je n'ai pas de bagage en soute, juste ce sac à dos que je garde avec moi.
neutralI don't have checked luggage, just this backpack that I'm keeping with me.
Uses the relative pronoun 'que' to link ideas naturally.
S'il y a de la place, je voudrais un siège côté hublot, c'est le plus agréable.
neutralIf there's space, I'd like a window seat, it's the most pleasant.
Includes the superlative 'le plus agréable' to express a clear preference.
Est-ce qu'il vous resterait une place côté couloir pour que je puisse me lever plus facilement ?
politeWould you happen to have an aisle seat left so that I can get up more easily?
The phrase 'pour que' (so that) requires the subjunctive 'puisse' immediately after it.
Ma valise est bien remplie, j'espère qu'elle ne dépasse pas le poids maximum qu'on autorise.
casualMy suitcase is quite full, I hope it doesn't exceed the maximum weight allowed.
'Qu'on autorise' literally means 'that people authorize', a common way to talk about rules.
Si elle est vraiment trop lourde, est-ce qu'il faudra que je paie un supplément ?
neutralIf it's really too heavy, will I have to pay an extra fee?
Combines the future tense 'faudra' with the subjunctive 'paie'.
Pourriez-vous m'indiquer si la porte d'embarquement est déjà annoncée ou si je dois encore attendre ?
politeCould you tell me if the boarding gate has already been announced or if I still have to wait?
A very courteous way to ask for information using an indirect question.
Je vois que la porte n'est pas sur le billet, il faudra que je regarde les écrans ?
casualI see the gate isn't on the ticket, will I need to look at the screens?
Starting with 'je vois que' (I see that) is a common conversational opener.
L'embarquement commencera à quelle heure, pour que je sache quand me rendre à la porte ?
neutralWhat time will boarding start, so that I know when to head to the gate?
Uses the future tense 'commencera' and the subjunctive 'sache' after 'pour que'.
Vous savez vers quelle heure on commencera à appeler les passagers pour l'embarquement ?
casualDo you know around what time they will start calling passengers for boarding?
Phrasing a question with 'vous savez' (you know) without inversion is typical everyday French.