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)
#91
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Not sure what this has to do with UA but interlining on separate tickets is an (operating) airline by airline policy and should be verified in advance. FYI, EW is not *A
#92
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Lesson learned: at least in DEN, don't even bother going to the Bag Drop Shortcut area. I told the contract agent that we had two separate tickets, she took my boarding pass and ID, and printed out bag tags just the first leg. When I pointed out my mistake, she then treated my bag tags like toxic waste, shoved them to me, and told me to take my bags to regular check-in. Once I got there, the first contract agent we dealt with told me to talk to someone in an United uniform and shooed us away.
Once we actually got to speak to an actual United employee, it took a while, but he printed out bag tags to ARN and even printed out our SK boarding passes (something that UA agents in DEN and LAX couldn't do for us in December 2017). As someone mentioned up-thread, I think he created a dummy booking using our SK PNR.
Once we actually got to speak to an actual United employee, it took a while, but he printed out bag tags to ARN and even printed out our SK boarding passes (something that UA agents in DEN and LAX couldn't do for us in December 2017). As someone mentioned up-thread, I think he created a dummy booking using our SK PNR.
#93
Moderator: United Airlines
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#94
Join Date: Apr 2009
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And for some reason I don’t even like those kiosks I typically go to an agent if I’m ever checking. Especially in the mornings at LAX, the Premier agents are so helpful. And the kiosk personnel are always so grumpy
Last edited by Flying Machine; Jun 24, 2022 at 9:50 pm
#95
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Milwaukee USA
Programs: UA Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10
Im flying United J on a paid ticket from MKE-ORD-BRU-IST then from IST Im flying Turkish nonstop to VIE on an award Y fare. Would I have any problems checking my luggage all the way through?
#96
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: sfo, sjc
Posts: 42
checking in baggage on 2 tickets
I have SFO-SIN roundtrip on UA purchased through UA. I have a SIN-BOM roundtrip on SQ purchased through SQ. The flight segments connect SFO-BOM and BOM-SFO with approximately an hour+ layover in SIN. I had to do this because UA would not allow me to purchase the SFO-BOM ticket with $, although it sold me the same SFO-SIN-BOM flights for my mother on miles. (I did not have miles to buy both tickets). My question is if I will be able to checkin my baggage at SFO all the way to BOM and do the same when returning, checkin at BOM all the way to SFO. I will have UA Premier Platinum status when I make the trip if it matters. Many thanks.
#97
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I have SFO-SIN roundtrip on UA purchased through UA. I have a SIN-BOM roundtrip on SQ purchased through SQ. The flight segments connect SFO-BOM and BOM-SFO with approximately an hour+ layover in SIN. I had to do this because UA would not allow me to purchase the SFO-BOM ticket with $, although it sold me the same SFO-SIN-BOM flights for my mother on miles. (I did not have miles to buy both tickets). My question is if I will be able to checkin my baggage at SFO all the way to BOM and do the same when returning, checkin at BOM all the way to SFO. I will have UA Premier Platinum status when I make the trip if it matters. Many thanks.
--->UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
On the return BOM-SIN & SIN-SFO it will depend on the SQ policy for bag interning on separate tickets. Not the UA policy
Edit
Thread was merged as I posted
#98
Moderator: United Airlines
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I have SFO-SIN roundtrip on UA purchased through UA. I have a SIN-BOM roundtrip on SQ purchased through SQ. The flight segments connect SFO-BOM and BOM-SFO with approximately an hour+ layover in SIN. I had to do this because UA would not allow me to purchase the SFO-BOM ticket with $, although it sold me the same SFO-SIN-BOM flights for my mother on miles. (I did not have miles to buy both tickets). My question is if I will be able to checkin my baggage at SFO all the way to BOM and do the same when returning, checkin at BOM all the way to SFO. I will have UA Premier Platinum status when I make the trip if it matters. Many thanks.
**-** II 1.00 TRM 1 - 1
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 1
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 1
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 1
**-** II 1.00 TRM 1 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 2
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 1 - 3
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 3
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 3
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 3
**-** II 1.30 TRM 1 - 4
**-** II 1.30 TRM 2 - 4
**-** II 1.30 TRM 3 - 4
**-** II 1.00 TRM 4 - 4
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 1
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 1
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 1
**-** II 1.00 TRM 1 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 2
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 2
**-** II 1.00 TRM 1 - 3
**-** II 1.00 TRM 2 - 3
**-** II 1.00 TRM 3 - 3
**-** II 1.30 TRM 4 - 3
**-** II 1.30 TRM 1 - 4
**-** II 1.30 TRM 2 - 4
**-** II 1.30 TRM 3 - 4
**-** II 1.00 TRM 4 - 4
Note believe SQ has the same rules for the return.
Allow extra time at checkin
Is SIN allowing transit on separate tickets nowadays?
#99
Join Date: Feb 2005
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My flights are UA 1 SFO-SIN arriving SIN 6:15am, SQ 422 SIN-BOM departing SIN 7:40am, and while returning SQ 423 BOM-SIN arriving SIN 7:40am, UA 2 SIN-SFO departing SIN 8:45am. I have the option of changing to an earlier BOM-SIN flight on the return leg, but it will be quite a bit early and I would have to spend the night in SIN. Should I do this?
#101
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Should be none. Leave plenty of time at MKE. The number of segments may make this a little difficult.
#102
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 1
Flying MCI-IAH on UA and then IAH-MAN on SQ, both in J. SQ was award ticket and UA is separate positioning flight,so separate itineraries. I asked agent at MCI to interline the two, and he knew exactly what I meant. He requested to see my passport and SQ electronic boarding pass, and the whole thing was accomplished in minutes. So clearly the agents at MCI know what they're doing!
#103
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 177
As an extra data point. They can only check through up-to 4 segments. Had 5 total and couldn’t check all the way through - UA(2)-LH(3). So just checked through first stop in Germany to pick up and re-check for the rest of the 2nd itinerary
#104
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A fifth segment, whether on a single ticket or multiple tickets, requires either (a) a manual bag tag or (b) two bag tags. I’ve personally had each approach used once. I don’t remember how the second bag tag was printed; whether it came out automatically or if the agent created a dummy reservation to hold the fifth leg. I suspect it was the latter but I’m not certain. I didn’t check the tag numbers to see if they were identical.
I suspect that particular agent would have had a problem even if the reservation were on one single ticket.
#105
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I’d be extremely surprised if this were true. Rather, I suspect that the agent you spoke to either (a) didn’t know how to do it or (b) didn’t want to bother.
A fifth segment, whether on a single ticket or multiple tickets, requires either (a) a manual bag tag or (b) two bag tags. I’ve personally had each approach used once. I don’t remember how the second bag tag was printed; whether it came out automatically or if the agent created a dummy reservation to hold the fifth leg. I suspect it was the latter but I’m not certain. I didn’t check the tag numbers to see if they were identical.
I suspect that particular agent would have had a problem even if the reservation were on one single ticket.
A fifth segment, whether on a single ticket or multiple tickets, requires either (a) a manual bag tag or (b) two bag tags. I’ve personally had each approach used once. I don’t remember how the second bag tag was printed; whether it came out automatically or if the agent created a dummy reservation to hold the fifth leg. I suspect it was the latter but I’m not certain. I didn’t check the tag numbers to see if they were identical.
I suspect that particular agent would have had a problem even if the reservation were on one single ticket.