WestJet "Passenger Perks" - Westjet - Question about checked baggage to US destinations

My route is YOW-YYZ-LAS

One poster commented that I have to collect my checked luggage in YYZ and re-check it through US customs for my flight from YYZ to LAS....

In the past I have flown out of YOW connecting in YYZ to both Hawaii and Vegas. Once I checked my bags in Ottawa I never saw them again until I reached my destination. I do remember seeing the destination luggage tags for my US destination being put on in Ottawa.

So, if WJ in Ottawa knows that my luggage is heading to Vegas, why isn't it being screened for US travel in Ottawa.
It seems very pointless that I have to retrieve my luggage in Toronto and then get it re-checked at US customs...... I also only have a 1.5 hour layover as well.:td:

Anybody with similar scenario or comments please.

I think and hour and a half is plenty of time and dealing with your luggage won't add much time if any to the process. The baggage belt is right near where the US prescreening is. And the onward belt is just past the screening booths. The bags should be tagged for LAS in YOW. You simply grab your bags on one side of the booth, walk through CBP and place the bags on the next belt. It's still less of a pain than having to clear once arriving in LAS.

In the past I have flown out of YOW connecting in YYZ to both Hawaii and Vegas. Once I checked my bags in Ottawa I never saw them again until I reached my destination. I do remember seeing the destination luggage tags for my US destination being put on in Ottawa.

So, if WJ in Ottawa knows that my luggage is heading to Vegas, why isn't it being screened for US travel in Ottawa.
It seems very pointless that I have to retrieve my luggage in Toronto and then get it re-checked at US customs...... I also only have a 1.5 hour layover as well.:td:

Because you have to personally "cross the border" with your bags as they are subject to a search (same thing when you go LAS-YYZ-YOW, you have to grab your bags at YYZ to enter Canada before re-checking them to YOW). It's not possible in Ottawa because you are flying a domestic leg first. You aren't departing from the US gates in Ottawa and therefore aren't passing through US customs. The time when you didn't see your bags until LAS must have been a long long time ago before US pre-clearance began.

My route is YOW-YYZ-LAS

In the past I have flown out of YOW connecting in YYZ to both Hawaii and Vegas. Once I checked my bags in Ottawa I never saw them again ...

It seems very pointless that I have to retrieve my luggage in Toronto and then get it re-checked at US customs...... I also only have a 1.5 hour layover as well.:td:



In your previous experience you must have cleared US customs/immigration at the destination.

It may seem pointless, but them's the rules. You must re-check baggage at the point your pre-clear in Canada. It is a bit of a pain at T3 with poor signage and all, but I did something similar with YVR-YYZ-MCO. We actually got back on the same plane at the same gate at the YYZ connection.

I think and hour and a half is plenty of time and dealing with your luggage won't add much time if any to the process. The baggage belt is right near where the US prescreening is. And the onward belt is just past the screening booths. The bags should be tagged for LAS in YOW. You simply grab your bags on one side of the booth, walk through CBP and place the bags on the next belt. It's still less of a pain than having to clear once arriving in LAS.

So our luggage will be delivered on a seperate luggage belt near the US prescreening...... and we then put it on the US belt for outgoing flights.
At this point have my party gone through US customs?

Yes. You collect your bags, walk through customs, and drop them off again.