I'm doing something new on Monday. For the first time, I'm having to ask for wheelchair assistance through the airport thanks to recent extensive knee surgery.

When I get to the airport (DFW), I can park the car, and I can put my carry-on (a laptop backpack) on my back, and I could even use my crutches to get into the terminal. But... what do I do with my suitcase? There's no way I can get it from the car to anywhere, and they don't have porters in the garage.

Is my only option to first drive to the lower level, stop at curbside luggage check, get out of the car, get my bag checked in, then drive back around to park the car in the garage, get into the terminal, check in, and THEN get the wheelchair assistance?

I may be over-thinking this, but I just want to be sure my travel goes smoothly. (It doesn't help that it's an international flight, so not only do I get my first wheelchair experience in the airport, I've got to deal with being met by a wheelchair at YVR and having them take me through customs and immigration.)

As an aside... Any tips on tips? I figure it's probably appropriate/nice to tip the PSA pushing the chair, as well as the porter, both in DFW and YVR, but is it a couple bucks? $5? I've got no ideas.