How do you aboard a plane for first time flyers?

This will be my first time flying so please I don't need any rude comments. I'm flying to another state and after to another country. I'm not sure how it all works or the steps to take in order to aboard the plane. When you check in online how do you get your boarding ticket? After you go through tsa on your first flight do you have to go again? What are the steps to take when you get to the airport?

After you check in online you can print your boarding pass or get one at the airport. You will need to check in st the airport to check luggage. It will check through if it's the same airline and you aren't staying in the state a day or so. You will need your passport to check in for international. Then you go through TSA. If not a pre check you need to send all your carry ones through the X-ray and your shoes. Be sure you know the TSA rules about liquids and gels on their web. At the next stop over if you don't have to leave the secure area you don't go through TSA again. Ask if you have any questions.

You need to give us more information. What airports? Did you book the ticket through one airline? Normally, you go to the airline's website 24 hours before your flight, put in your confirmation number, and it will give you an option to print your boarding passes. Or you can get them at the airport- many airlines have kiosks where you swipe a credit card or your passport, it finds your reservation and you can print your boarding passes. There are usually airline employees there to help you. You go to the desk to check your luggage- show your boarding pass and your passport. They'll check your bags to your final destination. If you have a connection in a US city, you get off the plane, look at the overhead screens to find the gate for your next flight and go there. You may need to ride a train to another terminal. If you go through Chicago, it's more complicate because they're renovating their train, so you have to leave the terminal, ride a bus to the international terminal, and go through security again. At most airports you won't do that. When you arrive in the other country, follow all the other people. There will be signs directing you to immigration. Stand in line and show your passport. Go through to the luggage carousels, find your bag, and walk it through the door labeled Nothing to Declare. If you're in Mexico. There will be a post with a button to push. If it lights up green, you go through. If it lights red, you take you bag to the table on the side, and they look through it. It's random. Then walk out and find a taxi or whatever.

Some airlines charge extra if you wait to check in at the airline - your confirmation email will tell you if that's so.

1. If you check in online, you will be given the option to print your boarding passes. You can also download the airline's app and access them there as long as you have an internet connection. (You can always get an agent to print them for you at the airport as well.)
2. Double check your terminal and gate once at the airport. If you have bags to check, you do that before security (TSA) at either a kiosk or counter. Typically there will be a helper walking around you can talk to and tell them you've never done this before.
3. Once done there, proceed to security with the luggage you are going to carry on with you. You'll need your boarding pass and proper ID. This will be the only time you need to go through security until your return.
4. Now that you're behind security, put your ID away and proceed to your gate. On occasion there will be a last hour gate change so keep an eye on the departure boards or the airline app if you downloaded it. (The best really is to have the app and/or make sure you're set up for text notifications.)
5. On your boarding pass and at the gate there's a 'boarding time' listed (it's rarely an exact time.) Make sure you're out front of your gate at that time.
6. The gate agent will make announcements about the boarding process which you'll barely be able to understand and will get confused as to whether they are from your gate or the one next to you. On your boarding pass there's a Group Number. When the agent calls your group, then proceed in the line onto the plane. They need to scan your boarding pass (paper or on your phone) at that time.
7. Proceed down the ramp, wait in line while the people you thought were already long seated are trying to get on. Find your seat. Put your bags in an overhead or under the seat in front of you. If in the overhead, try not have it not behind where you're sitting as that makes it difficult when you deplane at the end. Make sure you have whatever you want for the flight so that you don't have to keep getting up and down.
8. Once you land, check the app and/or the departure boards for your next flight to see it's on-time and at what gate. Proceed there. Even if you are changing terminals, you shouldn't need to go through security again. Any checked bags will be transferred for you to your new plane. You'll pick those up in baggage claim at your final destination.