Aug 23, 2016, 5:11 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
See Interline Baggage Agreements (single ticket) when there is a single ticket.
When a passenger has two separate tickets, United will though-check (interline) bags only when the second ticket is for UA or *A partner operated travel. Otherwise, UA may not interline the bags and you will need to recheck bags for the second ticket.
With two qualifying separate tickets, when checking bags thru, you will need to present flight information for both tickets at check-in. This includes the itinerary, PNR and eticket number.
Note: Interlining two UA tickets seems to be challenging for some agents. Allow extra time for bag check, just in case, and perhaps suggest contacting the Help Desk if the agent seems to be having issues.
Interlining UA-UA may not be allowed if one ticket is Basic Economy and does not allow free check bags.
Thread on UA-UA bag interlining
UA.com link
Some conditions when UA may not interlining with another carrier on a separate ticket
Exceptions to the non-partner interlining restriction on separate tickets for 1Ks/GSs have been reported. There still needs to be a regular bag interlining agreement in place.
Additionally, one report suggests that exception would apply also to *Gs and Full Fare J passengers
Whenever checking a bag between carriers (on a single or separate tickets), it is recommended to show your bag tag to each downline carrier at the transfer desk/gate to ensure the bag tag information has propagated to their system.
related thread: Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)
Archive thread: UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix w/ *A Partners (YES) & Non-Partners (NO) {Archive}
When a passenger has two separate tickets, United will though-check (interline) bags only when the second ticket is for UA or *A partner operated travel. Otherwise, UA may not interline the bags and you will need to recheck bags for the second ticket.
With two qualifying separate tickets, when checking bags thru, you will need to present flight information for both tickets at check-in. This includes the itinerary, PNR and eticket number.
Note: Interlining two UA tickets seems to be challenging for some agents. Allow extra time for bag check, just in case, and perhaps suggest contacting the Help Desk if the agent seems to be having issues.
Interlining UA-UA may not be allowed if one ticket is Basic Economy and does not allow free check bags.
Thread on UA-UA bag interlining
Effective for travel on and after March 1, 2015, when a customer has two separate tickets, United will though-check bags only when the secondary ticket is for travel on the following carriers:
* United and United Express
* Star Alliance partner airlines
With the new policy, a passenger’s baggage will be checked between the origin and destination points that are reflected on a single or conjunctive ticket.
If the traveler holds a second ticket on another airline beyond the destination of the first ticket, United will check the bag to the destination on the first ticket(s). In such situations, the traveler must collect their baggage on arrival at their first ticketed destination, and then re-check baggage with the next carrier for their continuing flight(s).
* United and United Express
* Star Alliance partner airlines
With the new policy, a passenger’s baggage will be checked between the origin and destination points that are reflected on a single or conjunctive ticket.
If the traveler holds a second ticket on another airline beyond the destination of the first ticket, United will check the bag to the destination on the first ticket(s). In such situations, the traveler must collect their baggage on arrival at their first ticketed destination, and then re-check baggage with the next carrier for their continuing flight(s).
If you have a separate ticket on another carrier, you must claim bags at the destination of the first ticketed itinerary and check bags with the other carrier to the final destination. Baggage can be checked through to the final destination if the separate ticketed itinerary includes Star Alliance member airline-operated flights.
- The carrier is not a *A partner
- the connection is overnight
- the connection is less than MCT
- Traveling internationally and connecting to a domestic flight within your destination country
- If the UA ticket is Basic Economy No more "through checking" / interlining of bags when connecting from BE
Exceptions to the non-partner interlining restriction on separate tickets for 1Ks/GSs have been reported. There still needs to be a regular bag interlining agreement in place.
Additionally, one report suggests that exception would apply also to *Gs and Full Fare J passengers
Whenever checking a bag between carriers (on a single or separate tickets), it is recommended to show your bag tag to each downline carrier at the transfer desk/gate to ensure the bag tag information has propagated to their system.
related thread: Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)
Archive thread: UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix w/ *A Partners (YES) & Non-Partners (NO) {Archive}
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.
I know FCO is up to 16 hours. SIN, HND, FRA, MUC, ZRH, BRU should all allow up to 24 hours.
UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
Sep 27, 2022, 9:58 am
#151
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
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No issue in BOS today. UA award ticket to SYD in IN then a separate ticket on VA in coach to ADL. Bag was tagged through to ADL 
Here comes the crazy part ... UA was able to issue a BP for SYD-ADL 
Here comes the crazy part ... UA was able to issue a BP for SYD-ADL
Sep 28, 2022, 6:56 am
#152
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...australia.html
Oct 2, 2022, 2:56 pm
#154
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
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Oct 2, 2022, 3:32 pm
#156
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
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You get Polaris Lounge access at IAH, which is about a 6-7 minute walk from EVA gate. With Polaris Lounge access, I wouldn't hesitate in having a very comfortable layover - 2 hours? I'm not sure I would even want a shorter connection, unless there's something preventing you from leaving Austin too early. Even then, you probably want to allow for a UA delayed arrival into IAH for a 1-a-day EVA departure. I'm not sure where IAH-AUS comes in - maybe A or B if a RJ, so need a little time to make your way to E/D
Oct 2, 2022, 4:01 pm
#157
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Houston
Posts: 441
You get Polaris Lounge access at IAH, which is about a 6-7 minute walk from EVA gate. With Polaris Lounge access, I wouldn't hesitate in having a very comfortable layover - 2 hours? I'm not sure I would even want a shorter connection, unless there's something preventing you from leaving Austin too early. Even then, you probably want to allow for a UA delayed arrival into IAH for a 1-a-day EVA departure. I'm not sure where IAH-AUS comes in - maybe A or B if a RJ, so need a little time to make your way to E/D
Oct 2, 2022, 5:45 pm
#160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Great to hear. They are partners now. If available you could have booked it as one award ticket.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...australia.html
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...australia.html
how else to find IN to Australia I still find it fascinating that UA was able to print a BP for a VA ticket
Oct 2, 2022, 6:01 pm
#161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
(a) I’d just drive (I’ve done this quite a few times).
(b) If I weren’t going to drive, I’d take the 6:00 PM flight with 7:00 arrival, because that way, if UA were running late, I’d have three options: wait for the 6 PM flight; switch to the 8 PM flight; or give up and drive. (Of course, if weather conditions are bad enough to cancel / substantially delay both evening flights, it’s probably not a great idea to drive either).
(b) If I weren’t going to drive, I’d take the 6:00 PM flight with 7:00 arrival, because that way, if UA were running late, I’d have three options: wait for the 6 PM flight; switch to the 8 PM flight; or give up and drive. (Of course, if weather conditions are bad enough to cancel / substantially delay both evening flights, it’s probably not a great idea to drive either).
Oct 2, 2022, 6:24 pm
#162
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Houston
Posts: 441
(a) I’d just drive (I’ve done this quite a few times).
(b) If I weren’t going to drive, I’d take the 6:00 PM flight with 7:00 arrival, because that way, if UA were running late, I’d have three options: wait for the 6 PM flight; switch to the 8 PM flight; or give up and drive. (Of course, if weather conditions are bad enough to cancel / substantially delay both evening flights, it’s probably not a great idea to drive either).
(b) If I weren’t going to drive, I’d take the 6:00 PM flight with 7:00 arrival, because that way, if UA were running late, I’d have three options: wait for the 6 PM flight; switch to the 8 PM flight; or give up and drive. (Of course, if weather conditions are bad enough to cancel / substantially delay both evening flights, it’s probably not a great idea to drive either).
Oct 4, 2022, 1:27 am
#163
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
I'm back here with a UA > *A interlining question. I've taken the advice offered a few posts above (and elsewhere) and given up on trying to get from SJD to YVR in time for AC's SYD flight, and instead have booked on NZ LAX-AKL-SYD as there are quite a few nonstop options SJD-LAX.
In this case, the issue is not very tight connections but very long connections at LAX. UA gets in at 2.40pm and NZ departs at 10.50pm. Expertflyer reckons this flight will arrive at TBIT (where I know there would be a luggage belt after customs that we could drop our interlined bags onto, which would mean we were unencumbered) but United.com shows current SJD-LAX flights coming into T7, which seems more logical.
At LAX T7, is there a similar belt after customs where we can drop bags for our NZ flight? I'm fine coming into either terminal, I just don't want to have to schlepp our bags from T7 to TBIT and wait for NZ check-in to open.
In this case, the issue is not very tight connections but very long connections at LAX. UA gets in at 2.40pm and NZ departs at 10.50pm. Expertflyer reckons this flight will arrive at TBIT (where I know there would be a luggage belt after customs that we could drop our interlined bags onto, which would mean we were unencumbered) but United.com shows current SJD-LAX flights coming into T7, which seems more logical.
At LAX T7, is there a similar belt after customs where we can drop bags for our NZ flight? I'm fine coming into either terminal, I just don't want to have to schlepp our bags from T7 to TBIT and wait for NZ check-in to open.
Less speedy was our experience in SJD with getting our bags interlined from UA SJD-LAX to NZ LAX-AKL-SYD (on a separate ticket). The agent was lovely and very helpful, but it took her a solid 45 minutes to figure out how to do it. As it happened, our flight was heavily delayed so it was no problem, but you wouldn't want to attempt this without plenty of time.
Oct 14, 2022, 6:05 pm
#164
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
So even if I book the ORD-EWR ticket separately, we can can check the bags all the way through? I'm looking at a potential Swiss Air/United flight roundtrip...can i still check the bags all the way through if the ERW-ZRH portion is Swiss air?
Oct 14, 2022, 6:14 pm
#165
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Be aware - Swiss departs from a different terminal (B) and some time will be required for you to get there from the United terminal (C) and the Polaris lounge within it. There's a post security bus from C to B, so you don't have to exit and re-enter the secure zone. .
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Oct 14, 2022 at 7:01 pm