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Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)

Old Jan 18, 2016, 9:21 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck (updated wording Aug 2017 -- removed 13-hour rule, another update Fall 2018 restored 12-hour rule)
For a trip that includes one or more connection, well check bags to the final destination on your ticket.You'll need to go to baggage claim and re-check your bags if:
  • You chose to have a layover
  • You make a connection that involves an overnight stay
  • Your connecting flight departs more than 12 hours after you arrive at the airport
  • Youre connecting to an itinerary booked on a separate ticket that doesn't include a Star Alliance partner airline
  • Youre traveling internationally and connecting to a domestic flight within your destination country
In practice. some have been able to avoid having to claim and re-check bags when on a long connection -- but if the agent insists, the agent is correctly implementing UA's written / published policy. See post https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31816944-post390.html for how an agent may be able to help you: They can retrieve a hand-written UA baggage tags that had "Reroute" and "VIP" printed on them (not handwritten) and add your information.
Originally Posted by Lux Flyer
Default time is 12 hours. A small number of individual stations are enabled to allow bags to be checked thru for connections greater than 12 hours. Maybe we can build a list based on people's experiences for certain connection points.

I know FCO is up to 16 hours. SIN, HND, FRA, MUC, ZRH, BRU should all allow up to 24 hours.

UA social media team (Twitter) wrote on August 16 (2017), "Any connection below 13 hours is always checked through to the final destination" in the context of being regardless of being an overnight connection or not.

related thread: UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
UA will not Short Check bags (but some loopholes)
Archive thread: Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question {Archive}
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Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)

Old Jan 22, 2022, 10:29 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1k aa exec plat
Posts: 1,837
so have the choice of a flight to japan - ord via ewr 12hr 6mins overnight or mke via ewr exactly 12hrs ... will either of these qualify for the thru baggage or not?dont really want to go from mke if i dont have to,.
thanks
bryanwallace is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2022, 4:23 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: FCO
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Has anyone done a ticket through two airports in the same city, on one itinerary? Getting some more miles in by going (Regional Airport)-IAD-ORD-EWR-DCA rather than Regional Airport-IAD. Was cheaper in fact going to DCA as final. 40 min layovers in ORD and EWR, may just have to carry bag on the whole way as I can't recheck in time. Have done a DCA-(3 stops)-IAD mileage-run where I had to recheck at mid-point, would the same happen here? Two different airports of course but both have "Washington DC" as the city. Would be happy to recheck in ORD if I had more than 40 minutes....

Wanted to ask this question here as obviously this itinerary can count as "chose to have a connection". All layovers are under 13 hours and on same day of course. If Final was RIC or PHL for example, I know it would go all the way, but the question lies in IAD/DCA in same tag.
priobagtag is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2022, 5:34 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by paine445
... Getting some more miles in by going (Regional Airport)-IAD-ORD-EWR-DCA rather than Regional Airport-IAD. ...
Lifetime miles, yes but not award miles or status earning. Fact if cheaper less award miles or status earning

No bags? -- not sure I see the relevance to this thread on bags, but you willing have any issues checking in .
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2022, 8:39 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: FCO
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Yes, lifetime miles (: I'll take the 4 premier segments to 1 as well. I will have a carry-on sized bag that I would like to check. If I can check it, I will, if not, carry-on will be just fine. Edit: realized I should of mentioned I wanted to check a bag in previous post :P
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Old Feb 18, 2022, 10:33 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 162
Lifemiles award ticket:

United XXX-ORD economy class
14 hour layover overnight (booked this way because of well….Chicago winters)
ANA ORD-NRT business class
ANA NRT- BKK business class

This is booked on a single ticket number but had to use screenshot method to get the UA segment since the Lifemiles website sucks.

On the ticket receipt it shows XXX-BKK weight limit 70lbs x 2 bags, but on the United website it shows 50lbs x 1 bag for the domestic leg between XXX-ORD.

Shouldn’t the weight limit be 70lbs for all segments since its booked on a single ticket number? I realize I can’t check the bag all the way through. I’ll most def want the bag with me for the overnight at the Hilton ORD.
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Old Feb 18, 2022, 3:59 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Originally Posted by Beetles
Lifemiles award ticket:

United XXX-ORD economy class
14 hour layover overnight (booked this way because of well.Chicago winters)
ANA ORD-NRT business class
ANA NRT- BKK business class

This is booked on a single ticket number but had to use screenshot method to get the UA segment since the Lifemiles website sucks.

On the ticket receipt it shows XXX-BKK weight limit 70lbs x 2 bags, but on the United website it shows 50lbs x 1 bag for the domestic leg between XXX-ORD.

Shouldnt the weight limit be 70lbs for all segments since its booked on a single ticket number? I realize I cant check the bag all the way through. Ill most def want the bag with me for the overnight at the Hilton ORD.
My experience is that all legs get the 70 lb. limit.
747FC is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2022, 4:24 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 162
Originally Posted by 747FC
My experience is that all legs get the 70 lb. limit.
Im thinking thats the case based off the ticket receipt sent by Lifemiles. Ive never seen baggage weights broken up by domestic and international on a single ticket, so what im seeing on my reservation on united.com made no sense. The over the water segment should be the prevailing bag allowance.
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Old Mar 9, 2022, 2:07 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: United 1k, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador and LT-Gold
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Checking luggage even with overnight layover - all *A

I have an upcoming trip to Africa next week - it starts with an overnight layover in IAD in which I will be staying in a hotel before catching my TATL flight on ET to ADD and then another ET connecting flight (on 016 ticket)....... will I be able to check my luggage all the way through?
... or will I need to collect it in IAD?

-m
mfirst is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2022, 2:37 pm
  #9  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
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Originally Posted by mfirst
I have an upcoming trip to Africa next week - it starts with an overnight layover in IAD in which I will be staying in a hotel before catching my TATL flight on ET to ADD and then another ET connecting flight (on 016 ticket)....... will I be able to check my luggage all the way through?
... or will I need to collect it in IAD? ...
UA stated policy is quite clear
You'll need to go to baggage claim and re-check your bags if:
  • You chose to have a layover
  • You make a connection that involves an overnight stay
  • Your connecting flight departs more than 12 hours after you arrive at the airport
  • You’re connecting to an itinerary booked on a separate ticket that doesn't include a Star Alliance™ partner airline
  • You’re traveling internationally and connecting to a domestic flight within your destination country
Occasional you hear reports of agents checking-thru, but that means overrding the computer and leaving an audit trail they will have to explain. Not appropriate IMO to ask a agent to take that risk.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2022, 5:56 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
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SFO overnight layover bags

Routing through SFO with a 11 hr overnight layover on U A on my way to PTY. Will they keep my checked bags over night or do I have to retrieve them and recheck the next day?
cantsurf is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2022, 6:01 pm
  #11  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
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Originally Posted by cantsurf
Routing through SFO with a 11 hr overnight layover on U A on my way to PTY. Will they keep my checked bags over night or do I have to retrieve them and recheck the next day?
You will most likely have to pickup and recheck per UA written policy on overnight connections.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Apr 17, 2022, 12:33 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
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I have a EWR-SFO-SYD flight coming up, but with a 13 hour daytime (not overnight) layover at SFO. I know I will probably have to pick the bags up when I land in SFO, but wondering if I take the bags over to the GS lobby, will they let me check the bags in early (12 hours before the SFO-SYD flight).
Also the GS lobby is in Terminal 3 but my UA SFO-SYD flight will be in the international terminal (G gates), wondering if that will be an issue or do I need to check them in at the international terminal where I assume there is no GS lobby.
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Old Apr 17, 2022, 2:10 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by pigzilla
I have a EWR-SFO-SYD flight coming up, but with a 13 hour daytime (not overnight) layover at SFO. I know I will probably have to pick the bags up when I land in SFO, but wondering if I take the bags over to the GS lobby, will they let me check the bags in early (12 hours before the SFO-SYD flight).
Also the GS lobby is in Terminal 3 but my UA SFO-SYD flight will be in the international terminal (G gates), wondering if that will be an issue or do I need to check them in at the international terminal where I assume there is no GS lobby.
They will accept your bags, at least that was my experience at EWR.
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Old Apr 17, 2022, 5:13 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by 747FC
They will accept your bags, at least that was my experience at EWR.
Agreed. As long as it is not overnight they tend to check them through even with long layovers.
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cfischer is offline  
Old Apr 17, 2022, 5:27 pm
  #15  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
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Originally Posted by pigzilla
I have a EWR-SFO-SYD flight coming up, but with a 13 hour daytime (not overnight) layover at SFO. I know I will probably have to pick the bags up when I land in SFO, but wondering if I take the bags over to the GS lobby, will they let me check the bags in early (12 hours before the SFO-SYD flight).
Also the GS lobby is in Terminal 3 but my UA SFO-SYD flight will be in the international terminal (G gates), wondering if that will be an issue or do I need to check them in at the international terminal where I assume there is no GS lobby.
Would try at EWR check-in for an exception to checkthru to SYD. Better chance than rechecking at SFO as that is normall only allowed 4 hours in advance.

Originally Posted by 747FC
They will accept your bags, at least that was my experience at EWR.
Originally Posted by cfischer
Agreed. As long as it is not overnight they tend to check them through even with long layovers.
Up to 12 hours is allowed but the OP stated 13 hours. Perhaps will allow 13 hours for GS but it would be an exception
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WineCountryUA is offline  

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