Consolidated "How Early Can I Check My Luggage Before a UA Flight?" Thread [Merged]
 

We have a 6:20 AM flight out of SLC this weekend. We have a lot of bags (Ski bag, boot bag, 4 other pieces of luggage, car seat etc). We also have to return a rental car using after-hour policy at 4:00 AM.

Is there any chance we can check in our luggage the night before? This way we only have to deal with rental car return the morning of the flight? I looked everywhere for information - without any success.

Thanks!

Almost zero chance. The cutoff is 4 hours. At some airports, that might be waived, but almost certainly not the night before.

Just drive everyone to the airport terminal, and have them check-in your bags for you in their name while you return the car.

Thanks - I expected this :( ... going to be hard with a sleepy 4 yr old but what can one do! Hoping that curbside check-in will be open.

I feel you pain, I have done a similar thing with my two young kids, but if you return the car at 4AM you should be totally fine (I haven't been through SLC in a while but check-in is unlikely to open before 4AM)

Get a cheap hotel room at the airport for the night before. Leave all your stuff there and go return your rental car (which depending when you picked it up might save you a day's rental car charges). That way you can stay with your family and take the shuttle straight to airport in the morning and be dropped off right at departures.

Well, we have a 2 month car rental, and a 2 month townhouse rental - so we won't save any money by returning the car a day early... and since we are not staying with family, it is not a big incentive for us to get a hotel room and dump our stuff there. We just did not want to deal with luggae and rental car return in the morning. Thanks for trying to help!

Ah, I see. One more idea. There are convenient options for shipping (some of) your checked luggage. Maybe that might make the load lighter?

The above is from United.com.

I am assuming you are flying on Saturday? If so, why are you planning in getting to the airport fot 4:00am? The check in counter will not be open until 5:15am.

What is your car rental company's off-hours return policy? Are they on or off property?

As far as early baggage check goes. Despite the 4 hour rule, one should be able to check bags at any point during the "business day" of departure.

Hmmm, interesting. My flight leaves at 6:20 - how can they open the counter at 5:15 AM for a flight leaving at 6:20? No way can they get the flight off on time if they do that. Thanks for pointing this out htough - I'll call the airport and see what they say.

Car rental is on property - so that is a saving grace. Their counters close at midnight and do not open till 7:00 AM. We have to use the after-hour return service.

PS I tried to find a number for UA offices at SLC - no luck. Does anyone know how to get in touch with them without having to drive up there? Thanks!

A few weeks ago, I was able to check bags 9 hours before departure from IAD, but at least it was on the same day, so perhaps the same business day rule applied.

Along these same lines, I am taking the evening p.s. flight LAX-JFK, but have to check-out of my Santa Barbara hotel at noon. If I shuttle to LAX around noon, can I check my bag then (10 hours or so early)? It will be the same day with no baggage left overnight. I know that the supposed cutoff is 4 hours, but if it is same-day, would they let you do that at LAX for 10+ hours?? :confused:

Unofficially, you should be okay. When you check bags 'early' they basically go into a conveyor parking lot and go round and round (non-stop) until their flight calls for them and at the next scan they get redirected back into the sorting platform.

As long as flights are still going, checking early typically isn't an issue unless the parking lot gets full--which typically doesn't happen unless of major IRROPS or no more flights are scheduled for the night and they shutdown the parking conveyor for the night at which most airports want the belt empty and jettison out any baggage to baggage services.

Occasionally, a CSR will list you standby for an earlier flight and be able to take your bags. YMMV. I would only recommend getting creative if you can afford extra time on the backside of the trip.

Consolidated "How Early Can I Check My Luggage Before a UA Flight?" Thread [Merged]
 

I will have an early departure at around 5 am in SIN (SIN-HKG). Since the *G lounge opens 24 hours, I am thinking of staying a fews hours in the lounge or in the air-side transit hotel.

Question: can one give the luggage to UA the day before? Say, 8 PM in the evening before the departing day.

As I remembered, the security check at sIN is at the spot near the gate. Can I just take the luggage with me in the lounge the day before and check it on the day of departure?

I believe the UA counter opens 3 hours prior to departure and I am pretty sure you can't unless their Premier check in (SATS Premier not UA) area allows prior night check in. Never done that check-in area before. You can drop bags off day before if flying SQ.