bluepig1

Quick question from a new user (I've done some searching for existing posts already):

I have a oneworld award flight (on CX using BA miles) booked from JFK-HKG on 11/17 departing JFK at 1:55pm.

I need to get from Baltimore to JFK to catch this flight.

Option 1: book the AA DCA-JFK 10:00am-11:05am flight. Very inexpensive 1 way. Terminal change at JFK; possibility of weather or general JFK delays, have to get from BWI to DCA without driving - I can do this by train. I'll do online checkin for CX flight so probably just need to get bag dropped by 12:30-12:45pm at latest to get through security and to gate?

Reading other threads, sounds like if I call after booking this flight they can link PNRs for these separate tickets, and potentially they can check my bag all the way through to HKG, and/or waive checked bag fees. Is this correct? Any watch-outs (i.e., they might not waive the checked bag fee as it's still 2 separate tickets)?

I don't fly through JFK often; flightstats shows 77% ontime with avg 46 min delay. Should I worry about any travel delays being an issue? Is this sufficient time not to be worried?

Otherwise, the other options are less attractive:
Option 2: book AA DCA-JFK 6:00am-7:05am flight; a lot harder to get to DCA by train to catch 6am.
Option 3: book a UA BWI-LGA 8:50am-10:00am flight. More expensive than option 1. Probably catch the 10:30 LGA-JFK shuttle to arrive JFK 11:30am. This probably doesn't help avoid delays, I can't check everything through, would have to pay a bag fee, and the only advantage would be flying out of BWI instead of DCA.

Thanks!

zybysky

Should be just fine. Weather is weather, so really any of your options could bring problems - but if your inbound is delayed for weather, chances are your outbound will be delayed too, right?

I'd put this flight on hold, and then call AA to confirm that you can link PNR's. If confirmed, purchase your flight while on the phone and have the PNRs linked at that moment. Highly doubt you'll be paying baggage fees twice if linking is successful. At least that's the approach I'd take.

ORDinaryPax

You could also take WN 1380 from BWI-LGA at 9:00 AM, arriving at 10:15 AM for $51 ($62 a/i). You'll have to take the shuttle from LGA-JFK, but that may be easier or cheaper than the train to DCA (no need to transfer to the metro).

I don't think southwest is charging for bags these days.

zybysky

Confirmed. 2 free bags.