English at the airport: 15 phrases you will actually use
Airports are one of the few places where you have to speak English fast, with a queue behind you. The good news: the conversations are short and almost always the same. Learn these, say them out loud a few times, and the airport becomes easy.
What you will be asked
Airport staff use a small set of questions, again and again. You don't need to understand every word – you need to recognise the question and have a short answer ready. Here are the four places you will speak: check-in, security, the gate and passport control.
15 phrases for the airport
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| “I'd like to check in for the flight to London, please.” | At the check-in desk |
| “I have one bag to check and one carry-on.” | When they ask about luggage |
| “Could I have a window / an aisle seat, please?” | Choosing a seat |
| “Is the flight on time?” | Checking for delays |
| “Which gate does it leave from?” | If the boarding pass is unclear |
| “Do I need to take my laptop out?” | At security |
| “It's just my belt / my keys.” | When the scanner beeps |
| “Excuse me, where is gate 24?” | Finding your way |
| “Has boarding started yet?” | At the gate |
| “My flight was cancelled. What are my options?” | At the transfer or service desk |
| “I missed my connection.” | Explaining the problem |
| “I'm here on holiday / for work, for ten days.” | Passport control: purpose and length |
| “I'm staying at a hotel in the city centre.” | Passport control: where you're staying |
| “My suitcase didn't arrive.” | At the baggage desk |
| “Sorry, could you say that more slowly?” | Any time you didn't catch it |
A sample dialogue at check-in
Agent: Good morning. Where are you flying today?
You: To London. Here's my passport.
Agent: Thank you. Are you checking any bags?
You: Yes, one suitcase. And this backpack is my carry-on.
Agent: Did you pack the bag yourself?
You: Yes, I did.
Agent: Any liquids, batteries or power banks in the checked bag?
You: No, the power bank is in my backpack.
Agent: Perfect. Window or aisle?
You: Aisle, please.
Agent: Here's your boarding pass. Gate 24, boarding at 10:15.
You: Great, thank you.
At passport control
The officer usually asks three things: Why are you visiting? How long are you staying? Where are you staying? Answer each in one short sentence. Long explanations make the conversation longer, not easier. If you have a return ticket or a hotel booking, keep it ready on your phone.
Common mistakes
- “I want a window.” Not wrong, but it sounds blunt. “Could I have a window seat, please?” or “I'd like a window seat” is the polite default.
- “My luggages.” Luggage and baggage have no plural. Say “my luggage” or “my bags”.
- Answering a different question. “How long are you staying?” is about days, not where. If you're not sure what you heard, ask: “Sorry, how long or where?”
How to practise before your trip
- Read the dialogue above out loud twice, switching roles.
- Close the page and answer the three passport-control questions about your real trip.
- Practise once with someone asking the questions – a friend or an AI speaking partner – so you react to what you hear, not what you read.
If the trip involves a hotel, the next scene is checking in at the hotel; if you'll take a taxi from the airport, see English for taxis and Uber.
Practising it with Ling
Ling AI is an iPhone and iPad app for spoken English. Every lesson is a live 3–4 minute voice scene with Sophia, an AI speaking partner – ordering a coffee, checking in at the airport, chatting with a colleague – chosen for your goal and level. If you don't know what to say, tap Hint; if it gets too hard, switch to your own language for a moment. At the end you see your one main mistake and say it again correctly.
About 5 minutes of voice every day are free. Ling works on iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later; there is no Android version yet.