Hello all I am a long time lurker and have learned a lot from the collective.

I have a flight MTY-IAH-YYZ So two international flights, I want to check my bag at MTY( because my wife wants a bunch of crap brought home) and not have to collect it in Houston then recheck it.

So the question is can I check my bag at MTY trough to Toronto?

Also I have status with AC but the flight from MTY is united. Will they affix a priority tag on the bag for me?

Welcome to Flyertalk, Shug2
Moving your thread to the UA Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Yes, because you're connecting at IAH.

Thank you for the quick reply.

Forgive my ignorance I've been working in Mexico too long. So yes I can check it through? But don't I have to collect it to clear US customs?

I never check a bag ever. But since I'm headed home I figured it can't hurt.

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/internatio...al-airport-iah

In the last several years, the stakeholders have made significant contributions to improve the international arrivals process:

* Streamlining baggage processing: In collaboration with United Airlines, CBP has implemented an International to International (ITI) program for all baggage arriving foreign and departing foreign; passengers that arrive foreign and are departing foreign are not required to retrieve their checked baggage.

Generally when transiting an USA airport even if immediately connecting to another international destination you must clear customs and immigration for the USA. HOWEVER, IAH (and a few other airports) is trailing a program where the luggage checks thru without needing you to take them to customs. This may not apply to all flights but believe the Mexico flights are included in the program.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/pract...rough-iah.html

Thank you guys for the help.

I would just like to post an update for any future queries on this subject.

The United staff at MTY had absolutely no knowledge of any of these procedures and were suggested I just do a gate check even though my bag was oversize because of its expanded condition. I thought this was expectable and proceeded to the gate and did the gate check without problem. After arriving Houston ( 2 hours late for a 55 min flight, good job United scheduling) I collected my bag at the gate and off I went.

Since the flight was late I was not able to go to the United desk and get a clarification on this. I was able to ask the customs agent about it and he was not sure. He did direct me too the transit exit and I was on my way to make a 20 min international connection. Thank you again united. The transit exist is just merely shortcut around baggage claim. good but not that good.

Since I knew I was in 1A on a AC crj-705 I could ask the flight attendant to put my bag in the closet in the front and would not be harassed about the size. Also I was the last one to board so they just rushed me on.

Thank you all of the replies. I will post any updates on this that I come across since I do these flights weekly will book out with a longer connection and try it out for myself.

Just want to clarify - flying CDG-SFO-YVR and would like to collect my bags in SFO due to 9 hour layover. I can do that, right?

You must collect your bags at SFO if you're coming from CDG.

Overnight? -- should not be a problem but you may have to request. Personally I would pack a carry-on overnight bag and see if you can get the bulk of the bags checked-thru.

It doesn't matter since the OP is arriving on an international flight. At SFO (and most US airports), even if the bag is tagged all the way through, it must be picked up at the first US point-of-entry. Typically, with a normal layover, one would drop at the bag re-check after customs, but there is no requirement to do so - there is nothing preventing someone with a bag that is tagged through from walking by bag re-check and not checking it.

IAH is different, if you are transiting but going directly from an international flight to a different international flight, you don't have to pick up the bags. This is pretty uncommon in the US.

yes probably should mentioned that -- but still think the single smaller bag for the SFO stay (which could be picked at customs) should be considered and let the rest stay with UA. Who wants to deal with a bunch of bags during a single overnight.

intl<>intl via iah means no need to pick up bags at cbp

there are even signs in the iah intl baggage claim area saying this

this is not the norm in the usa but iah has made arrangements such that this is possible

if bag is checked thru to yyz do not go to baggage claim in iah

Maybe not. But I'd also prefer that to having my bags somewhere in the bowels of any US airport for that long, especially if it is an overnight layover. Who knows what could happen - seems easy to get lost, chance of someone rifling through the, etc. I realize people have their bags checked that long all the time, but if I can avoid that over a long layover, personally, I would.

I checked a bag for a recent flight home, something I hardly ever do. Anticipating the possibility I'd arrive with the bag, I moved my prescriptions into my carry-on. All my other essentials were at my house, which is where I was going. How was I to know that my bag would arrive without me, which is what happened?

(After the flight had boarded, I accepted a $1000 ETC for a VDB and flew home the next day. Naturally my checked bag went on to my original destination. I had to improvise a few items for the next morning....)

Next time I check a bag I'll remember to pack essentials in my carryon.