1.
to register at a hotel or airport
“Please check in at the desk.”
“We checked in at 9 a.m.”
“You can check in online.”
Synonyms: to register
Phrasal verb
What does check in mean?
Meaning: to register at a hotel or airport
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Check in = to register when you arrive at an airport or a hotel. You can check in online = you can do it on the internet. The opposite is check out (to pay and leave a hotel).
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to give your bags to the airline
common“I checked in my suitcase.”
3.
to contact someone to see how they are
figurative“I just wanted to check in with you.”
Word order
Separable
The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- check in
- Past Simple:
- checked in
- Past participle:
- checked in
- -ing form:
- checking in
Common mistakes to avoid
Check in at or check into?
Check in AT the hotel ✓ and Check INTO the hotel ✓ are both correct. Check into is a little more formal. Never check in the hotel ❌ without at.
Check-in (the noun)
With a hyphen, check-in is a noun: the action of registering, or the desk. The check-in desk is over there. Without a hyphen, it is the verb: We need to check in.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: check in
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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Frequently asked questions
What does check in mean?+
Check in = (1) to register at a hotel or an airport; (2) to give your bags to the airline; (3) informally, to ask someone how they are.
Is check in separable?+
Meaning 1 (you register) takes no object. Meaning 2 (your bags) is separable: I checked in my suitcase / I checked my suitcase in.
What is the opposite of check in?+
Check out. At a hotel, you check in when you arrive and you check out when you leave. At an airport, you do not check out: you check in before the flight, then you get on the plane (this is called boarding).
What does check in with someone mean?+
It is informal (mostly American): it means to contact someone to see how they are or how things are going. I'll check in with you next week = I'll call you next week to see how you are. This is meaning 3.
What is a check-in counter?+
It is the desk at the airport where you show your ticket and give your bags. The noun has a hyphen: check-in. The verb has no hyphen: check in.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/check-in
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.