Air Berlin --> AA Conection / Baggage
Jan 27, 2016, 8:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Bonn, Germany
Programs: TK Elite, LH FTL
Posts: 647
Air Berlin --> AA Conection / Baggage
Dear fellow Flyertalkers,
I'm thinking about connecting from AB to an AA international flight at Miami in February, but would of course prefer a short connection. I have Global Entry, so I'm not afraid of having to go through immigration, but I'm wondering whether I will have to re-check my bag. I understand that, in principle, MIA offers ITI luggage, i.e. bags can be checked through from an international to another international destination (without reclaiming the bag), but I'm wondering whether this is true for AB/AA interline transfers as well.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
I'm thinking about connecting from AB to an AA international flight at Miami in February, but would of course prefer a short connection. I have Global Entry, so I'm not afraid of having to go through immigration, but I'm wondering whether I will have to re-check my bag. I understand that, in principle, MIA offers ITI luggage, i.e. bags can be checked through from an international to another international destination (without reclaiming the bag), but I'm wondering whether this is true for AB/AA interline transfers as well.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Jan 27, 2016, 11:53 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Berlin
Programs: BAEC; LH M&M; HH Diamond
Posts: 814
Dear fellow Flyertalkers,
I'm thinking about connecting from AB to an AA international flight at Miami in February, but would of course prefer a short connection. I have Global Entry, so I'm not afraid of having to go through immigration, but I'm wondering whether I will have to re-check my bag. I understand that, in principle, MIA offers ITI luggage, i.e. bags can be checked through from an international to another international destination (without reclaiming the bag), but I'm wondering whether this is true for AB/AA interline transfers as well.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
I'm thinking about connecting from AB to an AA international flight at Miami in February, but would of course prefer a short connection. I have Global Entry, so I'm not afraid of having to go through immigration, but I'm wondering whether I will have to re-check my bag. I understand that, in principle, MIA offers ITI luggage, i.e. bags can be checked through from an international to another international destination (without reclaiming the bag), but I'm wondering whether this is true for AB/AA interline transfers as well.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
- bags tagged in Germany by AB through to your final destination
- on arrival at MIA, you have to pick your luggage up off the carousel, go through customs and then place it on the re-check belt (usually just past customs in US)
- you go to the gate for your AA flight - which IIRC will be from a different terminal at MIA, meaning you also have to re-clear security.
You may even have to lug the bags from the AB terminal to the AA terminal yourself. I had to last time, going in the opposite direction and to make it even worse the AB check-in desks were not manned at that time of day, so I had to sit landise for a couple of hours rather than proceeding through to the lounge!
Jan 30, 2016, 2:56 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,903
You have to take your bags through customs at point of entry in the US
You will have to collect your bags, go through customs, then drop your bag off again at a dedicated belt
You will have to collect your bags, go through customs, then drop your bag off again at a dedicated belt