This may seem like a really stupid question but I'm considering taking my first US Airways Express flight - PHL to SYR in late July.
My question is this. Can I check my bags at the gate before boarding and have them returned at the gate at my destination therefore avoiding having to use bagage reclaim at both SYR and PHL? ( I normally do this when flying Co out of EWR but their prices are about $150.00 more per person for this particular trip)
I'm assuming the overheads on the planes will not be big enough to accomodate a small roll on suitcase.
Thank you in advance for your help and advice.

It is SOP for carry-ons that are too large for the Express bin/underseat space to be checked planeside with a yellow tag. Make sure that you get the bag yellow-tagged so they know to unload it with the planeside stuff. At airports where they load express via jetbridge, they deliver the planeside checked items to the jetbridge, which makes quite a congested situation, but you still avoid baggage claim.

Non-carryon baggage (too large) would probably have to be checked at the counter or curbside and claimed at the belt, unless someone makes an exception.

This may seem like a really stupid question but I'm considering taking my first US Airways Express flight - PHL to SYR in late July.
My question is this. Can I check my bags at the gate before boarding and have them returned at the gate at my destination therefore avoiding having to use bagage reclaim at both SYR and PHL? ( I normally do this when flying Co out of EWR but their prices are about $150.00 more per person for this particular trip)
I'm assuming the overheads on the planes will not be big enough to accomodate a small roll on suitcase.
Thank you in advance for your help and advice.

Yes. As long as what you have is the sort that ordinarily would be carry on (e.g. a roller suitcase and a personal item), you can usually gate check on US Express and pick up the items planeside - I've done this dozens of times. The only time I haven't been able to pick up the item planeside is on the bigger express jet (the Embraer 170) - but that one has regular, full-size overhead bins! ^ :D

This may seem like a really stupid question but I'm considering taking my first US Airways Express flight - PHL to SYR in late July.
My question is this. Can I check my bags at the gate before boarding and have them returned at the gate at my destination therefore avoiding having to use bagage reclaim at both SYR and PHL?

Just to add a bit...you don't check the bag before boarding, at least not in PHL. Instead, at the gate, you get the yellow tag, put it on your bag, and drop off your bag just before the end of the jetway.

Thank you everybody for replying so quickly - much appreciated.

I have flown the PHL-ABE hop numerous times. Recently, quite a few times they have made you pick up gate checked bags at baggage claim in ABE. USX f/a told me it is to facilitate quicker turn-around as they dont have pax standing and waiting for luggage, and can start to board return flight. I think this stinks! If I wanted my luggage drop kicked from the plane I would check it at the counter!

Just to add a bit...you don't check the bag before boarding, at least not in PHL. Instead, at the gate, you get the yellow tag, put it on your bag, and drop off your bag just before the end of the jetway.

Good clarification.....you drop the bag off before you literally board the plane meaning stepping onto the plane itself, but not before "boarding" in the usual sense of your BP being taken at the gate.

The only time I've seen yellow-tagged bags delivered to baggage claim was at IND in 2004 during very heavy rain and scattered lightning/thunder around the airport. After my brother sat onboard the plane for 30 minutes after arrival because the ramp was cleared due to lightning, they let the passengers off when the ramp reopened but unloaded the bags all at once and delivered everything to Claim #9, yellow tags and all. This only worked because no one was making a connection at IND and was leaving the secure area anyway. You can imagine the disaster if they sent everyone's carryons to baggage claim at a connecting point, requiring an exit and rescreening.....