I was looking at the sports equipment page on United's website, at https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ge/sports.aspx, and according to that page, I cannot check in online, if I want to check firearms.
I was wondering if I can check in online, and then just go to the counter to declare the firearms, fill out the declaration, and check my bag?

Rule #3 under checking in "firearms!"

• If you're traveling with a firearm, you must check in to your flight at the airport counter. You won�t be able to check in through the United app, united.com or an airport kiosk. Curbside check-in of a firearm is also not permitted.

You can "re-check in" at the counter. Its no different than checking in and claiming no bags then deciding to check a bag.

That's how I was looking at it. Mainly to get on the upgrade list, so I have a small chance of getting out of 38E

Checking in earlier will only make a minor difference. Your initial upgrade request will cover you until the gate list is used. And once you check in you will be on the Gate list which is not used until boarding has started. As long as your check-in is prior to the check-in cutoff, you will be on the Gate list before it is used. The only advantage of checking-in earlier is for the final tie-breaker (after status and fare class). So the earlier check-in only matters if someone else of the same status and same fare class checks in earlier.

Note it is not actually check-in time that is used but rather check-in sequence number.

But there is no harm in doing the double check-in, but beleive your check-in time (sequence number) will be reset to the later time as the agent will have to cancel your original check-in. So you will be on the gate list based on the airport check-in time -- so the earlier check-in did nothing useful.

A family member who shoots competitively has reported that onsite check-in of a firearm with UA is a much longer/less efficient process than with other carriers he's flown. YMMV, of course, but I'd suggest allowing a lot of extra time for the check-in at the counter.

Totally agree with this statement. Also, each airport differs in how the TSA deals with the security screening of firearms. Some airports only allow TSA supervisors to handle the firearms screening and paperwork, which often means that you have to wait for one of them to walk down from the security lines / metal detectors down to the ticketing area just to assist you. That alone can take up to 20-30 minutes, especially at airports likes EWR. Others like LAS let you check it like baggage and it is a simple process.

Give yourself an extra 30-45 minutes of time just to be safe.

I am not sure that sequence number gets reset. I have "unchecked" myself from an itinerary and then rechecked myself in several hours later later (online) and my BP's had the same sequence number on them. Also, I have checked baggage in at the airport after having elected not to when checking in online @ T-24. This did not affect the sequence numbers on the BP's on my App and did not appear to change my position on the visible upgrade list. It may be that your sequence number gets set by your initial online check-in.

My home airport has roughly 9 people who work for United and unless it is a Fri or Sat morning when the people I know well have their day off, I literally walk up to the counter, they hand me the form, I fill it out while they attach my bag tags. I slip in the form and give it 5 min after the bags go behind the "Curtain" and then proceed to security. I am quite sure the TSA people recognize my suitcase and/or name, cause I rarely get asked for my keys anymore. They know how and what i sue to pack and the way that I pack it can easily be seen on the xray.

NOW - I pulled up to EWR one day (I got stuck in PA accidentally) THAT took the extra 45 min and I was glad I wasn't arrested, they finally found a supervisor who wasn't afraid to help me and i was on my way.

I'm curious about this claim. My check-ins with UA when transporting a firearm haven't been long or inefficient at all, even at HNL (not exactly a firearm friendly city). I'm curious what airports he was using and what delays he encountered.

IAD. I don't recall the specifics.

Topic Check

This is the UA forum and this discussion was started to query about checking firearms as checked luggage on UA flights. Multiple posters mentioned they were going OT and OMNI, and others continued, so have cleaned out the OT/OMNI discussion and ask all to returned to the UA related topic.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

Seeing as Dulles is supervised under the Metro Washington Airport Authority, I suspect the issue there had more to do with DC laws or police than UA. I've only checked firearms in three states (FL, CO, and HI) but never had any real delay or problem with UA.

I recently checked firearms at IAD and it was a debacle. Even at the elite check-in counters, United only had about 3 employees working for about 20 counters. There were contractors (porters?) just tagging bags at almost all the counters. When I told the porter that I needed to check a firearm, he was clueless and had to call over his supervisor, who was also a contractor and couldn't help. He told the original porter that I needed a united person, so he walked away to find someone. It took 35 minutes of literally standing at the counter waiting for a united rep to finally come over, then another 10 minutes for her to find the right paperwork, only to complain that they had recently changed the process and HER supervisor would have to sign it, which took another 3 phone calls and 10 minutes to accomplish before the porter was allowed to walk my bag down to TSA. Luckily I arrived arrived at the airport early, because I stood at the counter (after waiting in line to get to a counter) for nearly an hour. No one at the counter ever even asked to see the weapons, they just gave me the orange tag to put in my bag.

In contrast, on my return flight from LAS, I walked up to the counter, the dedicated agent at that counter took care of the paperwork, asked me to show her that the weapons were unloaded, and I was on my way in about 3 minutes. She suggested I wait around near the counters for 10 minutes in case TSA paged me with any questions. I waited, was never paged, and continued on to my gate.

I do suspect that LAS gets more firearms traffic than IAD in general, and I happened to be travelling the week before the Shot Show, so maybe they had recently trained expecting the surge. Whatever the reason, the IAD staff could learn a few things.

I have checked a fire arm on a few occasions and UA seemed to be about normal in their process, but I never checked a firearm at IAD.

DL has never given me trouble and for that matter nor has AA.

Biggest issue I ever had was my flight being cancelled at JFK and having to reclaim my firearm at JFK and somehow keeping it overnight which is illegal to do without a NY license.

Long story short, I found a Port Authority Officer, explained my situation and asked what I should do so as not to break the law.

He was actually very helpful and worked with his Supervisor to store my firearm overnight in their office and return it to me the next day to check again to my final destination.