Early check in advantages?
 

If I have a flight with multiple bags to be checked, I still have to get luggage check tags at the counter from an attendant (at least in Syracuse, anyway). Is there any benefit to checking in early on the web site, as opposed to just checking in normally at the counter? Thanks.

one less thing you have to worry about at airport?

less chance that you lose power later on and can't get online or print them out? :)

Better selection of seats if you want to change around or spring for the "choice" seats (aside: I wouldn't spring for the choice seats).

If you've not been upgraded and are an elite, one of the day-of-departure upgrade criteria is time of check-in.

Not sure if you'd maintain a lower boarding zone after a visit to the desk but that might make it worth it if you've still got a carry-on to stow.

Also I find the delay/gate change notifications that ive signed up for are more consistently delivered once I check in.

I always check-in online at home, but then generally re-print my BP when I get to the airport from a self-serve kiosk, just because I like the size and feel of airline-printed BP's better than a big piece of paper from my printer.

Are IDB procedures (due to w&b issues or whatever) determined by time of check in or time of boarding? Might be something else to consider possibly, but I don't know the answer tbh.

+1. I print to PDF at the office/home for my records and visit the kiosk for the hardcopy (which they give back to you anyway...when are smartphone BPs coming out?).

They're trialing them now, or did recently, out of a few markets (LAS maybe?).

The better seat choices in Choice is the biggest thing. For the bags no advantage whatsoever.

If you are not elite you can pay for any checked bags and you get a cheaper rate. Not an issue with me since I hardly ever check bags and when I do my first three (I think) are free!

If you get to the airport and the check in systems are down, They can manually tag your bags and you get to fly. This happened to me once( not US), one of the rare times I did not OLCI, and I had to be reticketed on another airline 6 hours later. Those folks who had printed their BPs at home had their bags tagged manually and off they went. Lesson learned.:cool:

Not much to do in GSO.:(

P.S. I try to get my BPs reprinted at checkin since I prefer that size, but I always have the printouts w/ me now.

Had them in DTW for several years for Delta & NW anyway. Only prob is you need your status card to get in the elite line, etc., since the pass is just one of those square barcode like images(sorry I don't know the correct name for these)

a bird in the hand . . .
 

it is definitely worthwhile to have a physical boarding pass for better protection when you run into overbooking situations. The people with no seat assignment and no boarding pass are going to be more vulnerable to being selected for involuntary denial of boarding before those with BPs (and yes, there are other factors that can affect the pecking order, such as ff status, class of service, etc., but why not at least improve your odds with a factor you can control)

Checked online and it seems like the did away with the discount for paying at home for checked bags, is that correct? The policy says there is a discount if you purchased your ticket prior to Oct 2010.

Just a quick update I just noticed regarding mobile boarding passes:

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...ding-pass.html

Now for flights originating in CLT, DEN, and LAS. When I flew about a month ago, it was only LAS. Glad to see expansion.