neuron

I prefer to use OLCI for a bunch of reasons

1) earlier on upgrade list
2) change seats if I do not like the ones I had orginally
3) chance to print out an extra set of BPs to leave at work for expenses
4) not a big fan of the kiosks for various reasons
5) not as rushed to go to the airport
6) just in case

I usually do the OLCI before I am notified by email. There have been a couple of times when I have no been able to do OLCI, and that means I have to head to the airport earlier than I want to.

warreng24

I usually use OLCI to view the seat maps. Very handy in case of equipment swaps (the various versions of A320's and 772's).

tcook052

Me too. I like knowing I have all of my paperwork when I arrive at the airport so I can make as smooth transitions as possible. Heck, I even took a bunch of blank U.S. Customs forms home with me a few trip ago and now fill them out a day or two ahead of time and sign them while in line again to save me some stress and time. I like OLCI.

weero

I always do OLCI.

With all airlines but UA.

For the last 3 years, I did not have one successful OLCI/Chicken check-in attempt. They completely precluded foreigners from the machinery, it seems .

taipeipeter

I use OLCI when I can for all the reasons above. As Weero notes, trips are excluded depending on passport (citizenship). As a US citizen, I get OLCI when visiting the US. Actually, you still have to have a check-in agent at the airport look at your passport, but there are more lines to choose from.

I don't get OLCI when to my home abroad. I'm not sure why UA can't keep my visa information (which they have copied numerous times) as they do my passport info.

dfreeman02

Never had a problem with OLCI ex-EU; if not checking bags, there is no need to see an agent.

When on a ticket LHR-US-LHR, I can't OLCI for the second leg, as the UK requires "a return ticket or proof of onward journey" for non-citizens.

DavidRS4

I always use OLCI. I fly out of Ohare and the door I enter is directly at the Elite Security line. No need to walk the extra 50ft out of my way to an kiosk

riant

Door 1F!

DavidRS4

Yes and if I could just get them to move all my flights to gate B7 I would be all set

KMHT FF

The first, and last, time I didn't OLCI, I was delayed en route to the origin airport and ended up arriving past the 30-min check-in cutoff time for what was an already severely overbooked flight within which time I was offloaded as a no-show which consequently canceled the rest of my itinerary.

Fortunately, the check-in agent knew me, and got me back on the flight and reinstated my reservation, but not without some apparent struggle (had to call the help desk and what not), while stating emphatically all the time, "Mr. KMHT FF is absolutely going to be on this flight!"

Lesson learned: Not only did I have nothing to lose by OLCI'ing, but having done so would have saved a lot of people, least of all myself, a good deal of time and (anxious) energy.

Just do it.

DavidRS4

I have actually pulled out my laptop in the back of a cab a few times tethered to my cell and used OLCI as I knew I was going to arrive at the airport inside the 30 min checkin cutoff time. (Mostly to LGA and made the flight every time).

riant

The overbooking situation reminded how I've been so used to United's OLCI reminder e-mail and there was one time I didn't check-in in advance with another airline since I wasn't "reminded". Turned out they oversold by just 1 seat and I was the last person to check-in so I was IDB. Got comp-ed with $800 vouchers though ^^

Unfortunately I've been flying out of F gates lately. I hope I get out of this RJ flying soon

BBFD

I always use it for many of the reasons already listed - just in case and upgrade lists. Prior to last year I used it about 50% of the time and not too often if I did not have a printer handy. However, I was returning from MCO on a 5:4x am flight and made a bonehead move of not leaving enough time to return the car, etc. I got to the counter inside 30 minutes and checkin had been closed. Luckily I had checked in the day before and just needed a boarding pass printed. The agent harassed me about it but I did make the flight (and thus my daughter's b-day party). After that experience it is ALWAYS at least checkin at the 24 hr mark even I cannot print the BP.

28isGreat

In addition to all the points listed by others, I never have to worry about check in line-ups at airports -- at some stations, sometimes there are line-ups just to use Mr. Chicken. Since I (nearly) never check bags, I walk into the airport and go straight to security. It's fantastic. Worth every penny I spend on paper & ink.

CMK10

When I'm doing work travel and don't want to leave anything to chance or I'm worried about an upgrade, I do. Otherwise, I don't.

As I live and work really close to PHX and we have far more kiosks than we need to, check in time is never an issue. Therefore, I save my ink and paper for more worthwhile pursuits.