paula7cline

We want to fly from Philly to Bari but will probably use FF miles from United or American to get to Rome and then pay for ITA flight to go from Rome to Bari. Is there any way to link these flights so we don't have to collect checked bags in Rome?

Mwenenzi

So called "linking" is just text in a reservation. Does not mean the same or have the benefits as all flights do in a single PNR/itinerary.
AA will not interline bags on separate itineraries. Even AA to AA.
UA-->UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)

AA Oneworld Alliance
UA Star Alliance
ITA Skyteam Alliance

Anyway at Rome you will need to process immigration.
With separate flights allow plenty of time at Rome.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper

SK AAR

Not possible. You collect the bags in Rome and proceed to the check-in counters of ITA. As already stated, you should leave plenty of time to make it to ITA counters in Rome before the check-in deadline.

paula7cline

My connection time is 2.5 hours when flying Bari > Philly via Rome. Do you think I'll make the flight from Rome to Philly if I have to grab checked bags in Rome?

Mwenenzi

No one knows for sure
The Rome to PHL will close X minutes before scheduled departure. You will not have 2:30hrs
Flights to USA tend to have more security checks before boarding

FT master thread-->FCO Rome Fiumicino Airport [Merged thread]

If it was me would be booking an earlier flight to Rome from Bari.
The consequences of failing to board the USA flight could be high.

But everyone has a different risk tolerance.

irishguy28

There's no "if" about it - you will have to wait for your bags upon arrival, and then bring them to the check-in desks for your onward flight.

Perhaps 2.5 hours is enough time if your inbound flight isn't delayed or disrupted in any way, and if your baggage is delivered in good time (if your bag goes missing, which is something you usually won't find out for quite a while after waiting for bags to be delivered, you will have to stay and make a lost baggage declaration).

And perhaps 2.5 hours is enough time if you know your way around FCO, so know instinctively where you're going, and how to get from baggage reclaim back to the departures area in time and if there aren't still long lines at whichever check-in desk you require (remember: they will stop accepting checked luggage for your next flight at a certain cut-off time prior to the scheduled departure time; this is usually at least an hour before departure time for longhaul flights, though it could be more - check with your airline).

And what happens if, in the intervening weeks/months between booking these separate tickets and actually travelling, the times/schedules of either (or both) flights changes, such that your 2.5 hours disappears and you have less time (or worse: no time) to make it from one ticket to the other?

When travelling on separate tickets, you should be planning pessimistically (unless you don't mind missing your onward flight and then having to buy a new ticket for the next flight at the last-minute, walk-up rate). I always ensure I'm at the origin of my long-haul flight the night before departure. Surely it wouldn't be such an imposition to forego your last night in Bari, and spend that last night in Rome instead?