cmculp

I work in DC and live there Mon-Friday. I frequently go to Norfolk (2nd home) for the weekend (miles tickets OW down) and fly from there for the next week's travel. This leads to driving to IAD with a bag packed for wherever the next week's business is and a carry on for the Norfolk weekend. No problem flying back through Dulles, going to parking and getting the suitcase, checking it and continuing on. I do this to avoid carrying a full travel bag down on an RJ and waiting forever at ORF baggage claim for stuff I won't need (typically military uniforms). Only downside is that it limits the connection to IAD and 60 min....

It used to be that you could do the opposite (short check), but no more. It was helpful to ditch the luggage with all the stuff you didn't need at IAD prior to continuing on to ORF, but now you can't.

No one at IAD has ever had a problem checking the bag. I think the TSA line above is hooey.

TonyBurr

On international trips I have checked bags in mid way through the trip. if I fly UA IAD-FRA I carry it on. In FRA I am going FRA-BKK on TG I then check my bag in for the last segment. I avoid checking a bag with UA but will do it on zany other airline. UA loses them

cmculp

I have I fair number of beefs with UA these days, but baggage handling isn't one of them. I haven't had any significant lost / delayed baggage issues for a couple of years and have had several "how did they possibly pull that off?" moments when everything arrived despite short connections or in route changes.

Credit where credit is due...this part of the airline seems to be working well.

TonyBurr

I am concerned about checking a bag with UA if I can carry it on due to irrops ( and liars of them). Much more flexibility if you have not checked bags. Yesterday I flew UA F SFO-INC but carried on my bag because t was an unreliable 747. We did make it ok.

joker545

FTers, hoping someone can help with a question that I haven't been able to get any clarification around from UA:

Tomorrow I'm flying MCO-SFO-SIN, with about a 75min layover in SFO. I'm in Y from MCO to SFO and then J (via GPU) from SFO-SIN. I have *G status thru SQ. My sister lives in SFO and I've got several bags stored in her garage from a past move (FWIW, she just started working as a FA for UA). I have 1 bag to check from MCO all the way thru, and was hoping to have my sister meet me at SFO check-in and then try and check 2 additional bags. Any idea if this would work? I could pay a change fee to confirm an early flight to SFO if the answer is yes, but that 75mins isn't enough connection time. Thoughts??

Thanks in advance for any/all insights!!

mahasamatman

It should work, but you will definitely need an earlier flight because there's a 60-minute cut-off for checking bags on international flights.

npei

Definitely need to get to SFO earlier. If you pick up luggage by needing to exit security and then need to re-checkin, beware long lines at SFO security line at weekend time.

Possible for you to avoid flight change fee by going to MCO gate early [check if earlier flight has open seats, usually first flight of day when loads are not busy], and ask for standby to SFO if there are seats available [often GA may not charge fee]

NoLaGent

Is it worth changing from your nonstop MCO-SFO to an earlier connecting flight?

That's the only way it'll be possible as noted above - if you don't change flights, there's no way to meet the cut-off time at SFO.


Edited to add: unless you're thinking of the 7:25am flight that arrives SFO at 10:00am? Spend the day with your Sister and then check the addtl bags. I'd do that over a midday connection.

joker545

This is excellent -- thank you all so much for the replies! Will now figure out options for getting an earlier flight to SFO, and appreciate the input!

dhelman

If you are several days out before departure, you could have your sister ship the bags FedEx or UPS ground to where you are staying near MCO. It is pretty economical, and def, worth avoiding the drama. FedEx (and pretty sure UPS) allow you to have packages sent to a local center, where you can collect it, if that is easier than having it sent to where you are staying in MCO. Your passport, without a local US address, would be enough to collect from the FedEx center, so long as it matches what your sister writes on the waybill and you know the tracking number. If you have to use two or next day air service with FedEx/UPS, that can get pricy.

EDIT: Noticed the OP already flew "Tomorrow I'm flying..." . I'll leave my post up, as I think it be a helpful idea for anyone in a similar situation that has a few extra days to utilized FedEx/UPS ground so all bags can be checked in for on the first flight on the ticket.

Hipplewm

My company does this all the time. I get to a Hotel and have a package waiting for me. Might not work for timeshare or rental, although timeshare office can probably accept it.

FlyHighInTheSky

Is it possible to check bags at a layover airport? For example, if I'm flying AAA-BBB-CCC, can I check bags at BBB?

WineCountryUA

Yes, you can - at least if UA operated flights and there is enough time to go streetside to do the bag check.

Dpetryszyn

Sorry Moderators. Please move this thread if this question exists already.

I am flying BOM - EWR - PHX

My question is, can I not check in a bag BOM - EWR then check in a bag when I get to EWR for the EWR - PHX Leg?

The reservation is all on 1 itinerary.

aacharya

You have to recheck all of your bags anyway, so adding an extra bag is not an issue.