Australia-bound travellers from Hong Kong can now enjoy hassle-free travel to the Land Down Under! This is thanks to the fact that in-town check-in counters at the Hong Kong and Kowloon MTR stations are now open to Qantas passengers. Travellers on Australia’s biggest airline can complete pre-departure procedures like checking in and dropping off their bags at the stations, which are connected to the Airport Express line linking them to the Hong Kong International Airport.
Which airlines use the in-town check-in counters?
From February 10, 2025, all Qantas passengers travelling from the SAR can use the check-in counters at the Hong Kong station between 7am and 6pm, and the Kowloon station from 7am-3pm every day. Cathay Pacific passengers have been able to use these services ever since they resumed at Hong Kong Station in mid-2023, followed by the Kowloon check-in counters reopening in June 2024. The benefits was also extended to Hong Kong Airlines travellers last year. However, the facilities do not apply to codeshare flights run by other carriers.
| AIRLINE | HONG KONG STATION TIMINGS | KOWLOON STATION TIMINGS |
| Cathay Pacific | 6am-11pm | 6am-3pm |
| Hong Kong Airlines | 6am-7pm | 6am-3pm |
| Qantas Airways | 7am-6pm | 7am-3pm |
How to use the city check-in services
Travellers can use the services as early as 24 hours and no later than 90 minutes before their scheduled flight departures. They can enter the In-Town Check-in Area using an Octopus card or Airport Express ticket and ask the staff for assistance. Alternatively, they may head to the self-service check-in and bag-drop counters. However, all luggage must adhere to dimension and weight specifications — each piece can be no longer than 145cm long, 100cm wide, and 85cm high, and should not exceed a 32kg weight limit.
In addition, only passengers with electronic travel documents can use the check-in counters at the two MTR stations. This includes holders of e-passports, Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong Residents, and Exit-Entry for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao.
Image credits: Manuel Schneider via WikiCommons
