Last edit by: WineCountryUA
It is possible to interline bags for no extra costs when on separate tickets, when both tickets are for UA flights.
However, for some agents, this can be a challenging task, so allow extra time at check-in (30 minutes extra?). The agent may need to consult the "Help Desk."
Recent reports suggest this may not be possible if one ticket is Basic Economy, no free checked bags, ticket
related thread: UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
However, for some agents, this can be a challenging task, so allow extra time at check-in (30 minutes extra?). The agent may need to consult the "Help Desk."
Recent reports suggest this may not be possible if one ticket is Basic Economy, no free checked bags, ticket
related thread: UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
Checking baggage through on separate UA operated reservations...
#106
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Mileage Plus
Posts: 458
The only difference is that I couldn't just drop my bag off after customs like everyone else with pretaggged bags. I had to go off to the side and stand in the queue at the United bag transfer desk for them to manually print out a new tag and attach it to my bag. Didn't take too long ~10 minutes with 4 people in line, but YMMV.
Agreed about UA-UA being more difficult than UA-OAL, that's exactly what the EWR agent told me when she was doing it.
Agreed about UA-UA being more difficult than UA-OAL, that's exactly what the EWR agent told me when she was doing it.
On the outbound flight STL-ORD-LHR.... if all flights on the same reservation then no issue with baggage transfer at ORD.... but if STL-ORD and ORD-LHR segments are on separate reservations (and I understand from this thread and others that they can not be combined), that a knowledgeable counter agent in STL could get the luggage scheduled all the the way through to LHR but we need to allow extra time at STL check-in (and since STL is not a hub, it is uncertain whether we will get an agent who understands how to make it happen)
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
Pigzilla and Kacee.... so if I understand it correctly.... we have a friend who will be flying LHR-ORD-STL on a return leg.... if it is a single reservation she would need to clear Immigration with her luggage, but then could drop it off at a transfer desk in ORD Intl Terminal, and then proceed to domestic terminal to continue her flights........ however, if the LHR-ORD segment was an award tx and the ORD-STL were a paid ticket on a separate reservation, then she would still have to clear Immigration with her luggage but then have to take it with her to domestic terminal to be re-checked.
On the outbound flight STL-ORD-LHR.... if all flights on the same reservation then no issue with baggage transfer at ORD.... but if STL-ORD and ORD-LHR segments are on separate reservations (and I understand from this thread and others that they can not be combined), that a knowledgeable counter agent in STL could get the luggage scheduled all the the way through to LHR but we need to allow extra time at STL check-in (and since STL is not a hub, it is uncertain whether we will get an agent who understands how to make it happen)
#108
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York, London, Sydney
Programs: United GS/2MM, DL*P, VS*G, AA*EXP, Avis CHM, Hertz Platinum, Sixt*D, HH*D, HGP*P, Starwood*P
Posts: 9,842
Pigzilla and Kacee.... so if I understand it correctly.... we have a friend who will be flying LHR-ORD-STL on a return leg.... if it is a single reservation she would need to clear Immigration with her luggage, but then could drop it off at a transfer desk in ORD Intl Terminal, and then proceed to domestic terminal to continue her flights........ however, if the LHR-ORD segment was an award tx and the ORD-STL were a paid ticket on a separate reservation, then she would still have to clear Immigration with her luggage but then have to take it with her to domestic terminal to be re-checked.
On the outbound flight STL-ORD-LHR.... if all flights on the same reservation then no issue with baggage transfer at ORD.... but if STL-ORD and ORD-LHR segments are on separate reservations (and I understand from this thread and others that they can not be combined), that a knowledgeable counter agent in STL could get the luggage scheduled all the the way through to LHR but we need to allow extra time at STL check-in (and since STL is not a hub, it is uncertain whether we will get an agent who understands how to make it happen)
#109
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Mileage Plus
Posts: 458
#110
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 226
I meant to update earlier, but on our trip over Thanksgiving - we were able to check through on the outbound from SFO to IAD to Newark.
Coming back, the guy in Newark couldn't do it and insisted that the connection time (5.5 hours) was too long. So in IAD we had to go from the C/D gates to the main terminal get the backs, recheck them and back to C/D gates. The employee who took the bags on the re check told me that the Newark guy should have been able to do - the actual maximum is 12 hours.
Oh well, it was a bit of a pain to walk to the train, etc but we did have plenty of time.
Coming back, the guy in Newark couldn't do it and insisted that the connection time (5.5 hours) was too long. So in IAD we had to go from the C/D gates to the main terminal get the backs, recheck them and back to C/D gates. The employee who took the bags on the re check told me that the Newark guy should have been able to do - the actual maximum is 12 hours.
Oh well, it was a bit of a pain to walk to the train, etc but we did have plenty of time.
#111
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 336
should I avoid OLCI if I have 2 tickets on 2 flights that connect with each other?
I'm hope I'm making sense here. It's been a long day and I'm already half asleep.
I have a ticket from XYZ to SFO. I also have another ticket from SFO to NRT. The two tickets were booked a couple of week apart because I couldn't make up my mind at the time.
There's about 3 hours between XYZ-SFO and SFO-NRT.
If I want UA to check my bag from XYZ all the way to NRT, should I void doing OLCI on the XYZ-SFO flight and just show up at XYZ and let the UA agent figure it out?
Normally, that's what I would do, but I'm planning to buy the upsell upgrade on XYZ-SFO flight, which can only be done during OLCI. If I do that, what will happen when I show up at XYZ and ask the agent to check my bag all the way to NRT?
Thanks!
(PS: XYZ not actual airport code, of course)
I have a ticket from XYZ to SFO. I also have another ticket from SFO to NRT. The two tickets were booked a couple of week apart because I couldn't make up my mind at the time.
There's about 3 hours between XYZ-SFO and SFO-NRT.
If I want UA to check my bag from XYZ all the way to NRT, should I void doing OLCI on the XYZ-SFO flight and just show up at XYZ and let the UA agent figure it out?
Normally, that's what I would do, but I'm planning to buy the upsell upgrade on XYZ-SFO flight, which can only be done during OLCI. If I do that, what will happen when I show up at XYZ and ask the agent to check my bag all the way to NRT?
Thanks!
(PS: XYZ not actual airport code, of course)
#112
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,065
I'm hope I'm making sense here. It's been a long day and I'm already half asleep.
I have a ticket from XYZ to SFO. I also have another ticket from SFO to NRT. The two tickets were booked a couple of week apart because I couldn't make up my mind at the time.
There's about 3 hours between XYZ-SFO and SFO-NRT.
If I want UA to check my bag from XYZ all the way to NRT, should I void doing OLCI on the XYZ-SFO flight and just show up at XYZ and let the UA agent figure it out?
Normally, that's what I would do, but I'm planning to buy the upsell upgrade on XYZ-SFO flight, which can only be done during OLCI. If I do that, what will happen when I show up at XYZ and ask the agent to check my bag all the way to NRT?
Thanks!
(PS: XYZ not actual airport code, of course)
I have a ticket from XYZ to SFO. I also have another ticket from SFO to NRT. The two tickets were booked a couple of week apart because I couldn't make up my mind at the time.
There's about 3 hours between XYZ-SFO and SFO-NRT.
If I want UA to check my bag from XYZ all the way to NRT, should I void doing OLCI on the XYZ-SFO flight and just show up at XYZ and let the UA agent figure it out?
Normally, that's what I would do, but I'm planning to buy the upsell upgrade on XYZ-SFO flight, which can only be done during OLCI. If I do that, what will happen when I show up at XYZ and ask the agent to check my bag all the way to NRT?
Thanks!
(PS: XYZ not actual airport code, of course)
#113
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 336
#114
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: somewhere between ORD and Willis Tower
Programs: UA MM, Premier Plat, Costco EM
Posts: 1,392
Combining 2 reservations
I booked xxx-DEN, then booked DEN-yyy on a separate reservation (plans changed). Time between 2 flights meets and exceeds MCT in DEN - can I check a bag all the way through xxx-DEN-yyy?
Thanks!
Thanks!
#115
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,567
Combine two PNRs -- no
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 22, 2020 at 4:12 pm Reason: & not overnight
#116
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: somewhere between ORD and Willis Tower
Programs: UA MM, Premier Plat, Costco EM
Posts: 1,392
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 31,837
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,920
FT thread--->UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
#119
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
Combining reservations is not the same as interlining bags.
FT thread--->UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
FT thread--->UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)
#120
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,782
Yes, you can. It can be difficult if xxx is a small UA presence airport. I did this on the 22nd from RAP-DEN- YYY. The gate agent wasn't familiar with the practice and spend almost 30 minutes on hold with UA before checking my bags through.