Gate Checking Stroller
 

Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed countless times. We're taking a short flight on United this December (UA 2248 from SFO to SNA RT). Just wanted to know if UA allows gate checking of strollers? I don't know if gate checking of strollers or any other large item is regulated by airline, airport, etc. Thanks in advance!

No problem.

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/tra...-children.html

Perfect, thanks!

Darn, didn't think to actually check the UA site.

Yes. You just bring it to the gate. Note you’ll need to collapse stroller through TSA.

To make things more efficient, I’d suggest going to the desk when you arrive at the gate, and asking for a pink tag for the stroller - rather then when you board so it’ll be all prepped and you won’t be holding up the boarding line. These are different than the green tags that are the ones used for gate check bags on regional planes (also: pink tags will work for mainline aircraft also, while typically they don’t gate check for those). They’ll ask for a BP and put your destination info. On there, give you a receipt and then tag the stroller itself. You just collapse at the gate and put by the end of jetbridge before you actually enter the aircraft.

Personally, when I gate checked a stroller for our kids, particularly on mainline aircraft since they didn’t typically have other bags to take down there, I’d always let the greeting FA know as a heads up that I left a stroller by the gate so they could keep an eye out to make sure it was brought down before the door closes. I don’t know how much any given FA actually heeded that, but it made me feel better letting someone else know.

This x1000. I've gone as far as going to the get to get stroller pink-tagged as soon as I get to the concourse, before going to the Club for snacks. Get it done early before the hoards start pestering the GA for seat assignments, complaints, etc.

Yep, as others have said, go get that pink tag quickly. Then drop the stroller at the end of the jet bridge right before the airplane door. When you arrive, wait in that same spot and they will bring it up to you. The bigger strollers, uppababy cruz, etc need to be checked like this. I’ve been able to get the smaller version, the Minu, up in the bin.

I see a lot of checked strollers sitting in the jetway but rarely see someone in the jetway waiting for their stroller. I think a large percentage of the stroller-checking-passengers sit in the back of the airplane. :)

I'd consider a stroller bag for gate checking. It keeps small parts contained, if they get knocked off, and adds protection from parts of the stroller getting caught on something causing damage. This one is just an example, not a recommendation, that I found with a quick search.


As a general rule, airline websites are well indexed. You can find answers quickly by Googling the airline name and the policy you're looking for. i.e. "United strollers" or "Delta bag fees".

This is true for most umbrella strollers, but not most other strollers. If the stroller is small enough to fit through the X-ray folded, you should do that. Most strollers are not, so you leave it intact and they hand screen it.
If you see it's borderline when folded, don't. We had the handle of a stroller get torn up by TSA once because it fit into the machine but not out of it.

Just did it this past weekend at both IAD and DEN.
Worked fine. Minimal waits.
Gate agents seemed to appreciate approaching desk well before boarding to get tagging done.

One has to ask.... HOW BIG IS THAT STROLLER? AA does not allow for gate checking of a stroller heavier than 20lbs. UA does not have a restriction. But I still have to ask... Is this a SOUS - Stroller of unusual size? (like a ROUS from Princess Bride)?

We also used bungee cords when collapsing the stroller so that it stayed closed. Then we put the stroller into our red big stroller bag. It’s hard to miss :-)

May I request you please stop doing this. I had a friend pick up an item wrapped in a bungee cord and it slipped - they lost an eye. Please use a lockable zip tie.

Depending on how frequently you intend to fly with your kid(s) I highly recommend a stroller that folds into carryon bag size that fits overhead. We Baby Jogger City Tour... I think it's easier then gate checking cause you're not waiting, it's overall lighter then many other strollers and very little risk of breaking with gate checking (which has happened to us).

I second this recommendation. We lost several strap pads the first time we gate checked the stroller and went with a bag afterward.

Note that you can also gate check a collapsible wagon. Handy when the kids are big enough to be out of the stroller but still too small to make the 1 mile or so walk from door to gate at airports like IAD. Ours holds the kid plus a carryon and backpacks.