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UA will not Short Check bags (but some loopholes)

Old Nov 25, 2016, 11:53 am
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
"Short Checking" -- the practice of checking bags to a location short of your travel destination is no longer permitted by UA (and many airlines). It is believed one reason for this is to discourage "Hidden City Ticketing."

There are a couple of exceptions / loopholes
-- Over nights in route stays -- you are overnight at a connecting city.
Long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated) (>12 hours)
UA policy on connecting bags requiring recheck

-- Port of entry for USA arrivals
At most USA port of entries, you will have clear customs and you then can exit with your baggage (or recheck).
This does not work at IAD mid-field arrivals since must clear TSA to exit.
Also PreClearance airports (where you clear immigration and customs at the departure international city -- such as most Canada-USA flights and DUB and some Caribbean)

Originally Posted by Lux Flyer
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.
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UA will not Short Check bags (but some loopholes)

Old Apr 15, 2021, 8:59 am
  #361  
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Originally Posted by pinniped
Is there any way to route so your first port of entry to the US is IAD?
IAD port of entry presently its own issue as the mid-field terminal is used for transfers as noted in the wiki
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 9:54 am
  #362  
 
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SFO - LHR - FRA - Pick up Bags in Lon?

Flying UA Polaris SFO to LHR landing at 2.10 pm with an ongoing flight LHR to FRA at 6.30 pm.
Will UA allow someone to check bags to LHR and pick up for a meeting at the airport?
Or will it only be checked all the way through? How difficult to arrange that?
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 3:56 pm
  #363  
 
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I booked a multi-segment journey (IAD-MIA, MIA-IAH) on the same day with a 4-hour time lag in MIA with the specific intention of being able to check the bag only to MIA so I could offload it at my condo there before returning to the airport to go to IAH. Yet after I ticketed it, UA is considering it IAD-IAH with a "connection" in MIA. In this scenario, will they still insist on checking it all the way through? Surely they would only check it to MIA if there was a day or two in between the flights. There is no way for me to prove to the IAD agent at check-in that I booked it as a multi-segment. Would it work if I switched it to IAD-MIA followed by FLL-IAH? (I'm assuming UA won't on its own ground-transfer a bag between MIA and FLL, though I suppose they could just put it on a MIA-IAH flight and tell me to pick it up at IAH.)
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 3:59 pm
  #364  
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Originally Posted by st530
I booked a multi-segment journey (IAD-MIA, MIA-IAH) on the same day with a 4-hour time lag in MIA with the specific intention of being able to check the bag only to MIA so I could offload it at my condo there before returning to the airport to go to IAH. Yet after I ticketed it, UA is considering it IAD-IAH with a "connection" in MIA. In this scenario, will they still insist on checking it all the way through? Surely they would only check it to MIA if there was a day or two in between the flights. There is no way for me to prove to the IAD agent at check-in that I booked it as a multi-segment. Would it work if I switched it to IAD-MIA followed by FLL-IAH? (I'm assuming UA won't on its own ground-transfer a bag between MIA and FLL, though I suppose they could just put it on a MIA-IAH flight and tell me to pick it up at IAH.)
You should have booked two separate tickets, not multiple segments on the same PNR with that short layover.

Unfortunately, your trying to circumvent a single-ticket short-checking rule while trying to keep the other benefits (ie IRROPs handling, maybe pricing, etc)

Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Aug 20, 2022 at 4:06 pm
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 4:08 pm
  #365  
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Originally Posted by st530
I booked a multi-segment journey (IAD-MIA, MIA-IAH) on the same day with a 4-hour time lag in MIA with the specific intention of being able
You need to be more specific, as greater than 4 hours creates a stop (domestic flights). Less than four on this is a domestic connection and a one-way IAD-MIA-IAH, with check thru.

If under four hours, the bag check agent will have to override the computer. They may not be comfortable or familiar on how to do that
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 4:13 pm
  #366  
 
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Originally Posted by st530
I booked a multi-segment journey (IAD-MIA, MIA-IAH) on the same day with a 4-hour time lag in MIA with the specific intention of being able to check the bag only to MIA so I could offload it at my condo there before returning to the airport to go to IAH. Yet after I ticketed it, UA is considering it IAD-IAH with a "connection" in MIA. In this scenario, will they still insist on checking it all the way through? Surely they would only check it to MIA if there was a day or two in between the flights. There is no way for me to prove to the IAD agent at check-in that I booked it as a multi-segment. Would it work if I switched it to IAD-MIA followed by FLL-IAH? (I'm assuming UA won't on its own ground-transfer a bag between MIA and FLL, though I suppose they could just put it on a MIA-IAH flight and tell me to pick it up at IAH.)
Do the same fares still exist? If so, rebook on 2 tickets. If you're doing this soon might also be a travel waiver for FL and you can move the 2nd segment to the following day, fly the first segment, then SDC back once you've claimed your bag.
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 6:23 pm
  #367  
 
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
You should have booked two separate tickets, not multiple segments on the same PNR with that short layover.

Unfortunately, your trying to circumvent a single-ticket short-checking rule while trying to keep the other benefits (ie IRROPs handling, maybe pricing, etc)
I wasnt trying to circumvent anything I was trying to book a multi-segment trip with a stopover, like Ive done many times before. Only difference here was the two segments were same day.

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
You need to be more specific, as greater than 4 hours creates a stop (domestic flights). Less than four on this is a domestic connection and a one-way IAD-MIA-IAH, with check thru.

If under four hours, the bag check agent will have to override the computer. They may not be comfortable or familiar on how to do that
Thanks. Thats very helpful. In fact the current stopover time is just under 4 hours, which apparently explains why after I booked it UA is treating it like IAD-IAH with a connection rather than a multi-segment with a stopover which is the way I tried to book it.

Originally Posted by raehl311
Do the same fares still exist? If so, rebook on 2 tickets. If you're doing this soon might also be a travel waiver for FL and you can move the 2nd segment to the following day, fly the first segment, then SDC back once you've claimed your bag.
Thanks for the ideas. Its not till September 8.

Does anyone know how UA would treat a checked bag on IAD-MIA/FLL-IAH, same ticket with a less than 4-hour stopover time?
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 7:42 pm
  #368  
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Originally Posted by st530
I wasnt trying to circumvent anything I was trying to book a multi-segment trip with a stopover, like Ive done many times before. Only difference here was the two segments were same day.

Thanks. Thats very helpful. In fact the current stopover time is just under 4 hours, which apparently explains why after I booked it UA is treating it like IAD-IAH with a connection rather than a multi-segment with a stopover which is the way I tried to book it.
I don't think so. The 4-hour rule has to do with the way fares are calculated. It has nothing to do with the way bags are checked. Neither does booking it aa "multi-city," which just controls inventory.

Any transfer that is not either (a) overnight or (b) more than 12 hours long will result in the bag being checked through, unless you are returning to the departure city that same day, in which case UA will pick a destination for you. I believe they use the longest stop.

Originally Posted by st530
Does anyone know how UA would treat a checked bag on IAD-MIA/FLL-IAH, same ticket with a less than 4-hour stopover time?
Your bag would be checked to MIA in this scenario. Of course, then you'd have very little time to get to your condo and then to FLL.

Is UPS not an option? It's likely that you're paying a fairly significant price premium over what WAS-HOU would cost on its own.
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 7:53 pm
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Originally Posted by st530
I wasnt trying to circumvent anything I was trying to book a multi-segment trip with a stopover, like Ive done many times before. Only difference here was the two segments were same day.



Thanks. Thats very helpful. In fact the current stopover time is just under 4 hours, which apparently explains why after I booked it UA is treating it like IAD-IAH with a connection rather than a multi-segment with a stopover which is the way I tried to book it.



Thanks for the ideas. Its not till September 8.

Does anyone know how UA would treat a checked bag on IAD-MIA/FLL-IAH, same ticket with a less than 4-hour stopover time?
From what I see looking at multi-city WAS-MIA-IAH, it's just giving a pair of one-way fares WAS-MIA + MIA-HOU so how about just buy separate tickets? In IRROPS, they'll usually take pity on you. I've never been met with a hardline voiding of my second ticket.
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 7:58 pm
  #370  
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Originally Posted by fumje
From what I see looking at multi-city WAS-MIA-IAH, it's just giving a pair of one-way fares WAS-MIA + MIA-HOU so how about just buy separate tickets? In IRROPS, they'll usually take pity on you. I've never been met with a hardline voiding of my second ticket.
The only downside of buying separate tickets is that it would be difficult to skip MIA and fly nonstop to Houston if the need arose. There isn't a great way to attach two coupons to one flight segment, so UA's auditing would likely get fouled up.

Now, skipping MIA doesn't appear to be on the table, so it's probably fine to book as separate tickets -- it really depends upon the OP's preference in the face of a long delay on the IAD-MIA flight.
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 8:14 pm
  #371  
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Originally Posted by jsloan
I don't think so. The 4-hour rule has to do with the way fares are calculated. It has nothing to do with the way bags are checked. Neither does booking it aa "multi-city," which just controls inventory.

Any transfer that is not either (a) overnight or (b) more than 12 hours long will result in the bag being checked through, unless you are returning to the departure city that same day, in which case UA will pick a destination for you. I believe they use the longest stop.
... .
The full rule states
You'll need to go to baggage claim and re-check your bags if:
  • You chose to have a layover
  • You make a connection that involves an overnight stay
  • Your connecting flight departs more than 12 hours after you arrive at the airport
  • You’re connecting to an itinerary booked on a separate ticket that doesn't include a Star Alliance™ partner airline
  • You’re traveling internationally and connecting to a domestic flight within your destination country
Having a greater than 4 hour break between flights should. per UA's CoC.
For Domestic flights, a Stopover will also occur when a Passenger arrives at a point and fails to depart from such point on:

The first flight on which space is available; or
The flight that will provide for the Passenger’s earliest arrival at intermediate or junction transfer point(s) or destination point, via the carrier and class of service as shown on the Passenger’s Ticket; provided, however, that in no event will a Stopover occur when the Passenger departs from the intermediate/junction point on a flight shown in the carrier’s official general schedule as departing within four hours after arrival at such point.
So a little more complicated than just 4 hours
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 8:24 pm
  #372  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
The full rule states

You'll need to go to baggage claim and re-check your bags if:
  • You chose to have a layover
  • You make a connection that involves an overnight stay
  • Your connecting flight departs more than 12 hours after you arrive at the airport
  • Youre connecting to an itinerary booked on a separate ticket that doesn't include a Star Alliance partner airline
  • Youre traveling internationally and connecting to a domestic flight within your destination country
I mean, I don't even know what that means. "Layover" isn't defined, and if it were truly someone's "choice," then presumably they should "choose" to have a 45-minute layover and short-check bags on any flight. Since we know that's not true in practice, I don't put a ton of stock into this.


Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Having a greater than 4 hour break between flights should. per UA's CoC.
So a little more complicated than just 4 hours
OK, so if you want to get into the CoC, the rule you want is actually Rule 23:

(A) 5. Baggage will not be checked:
  1. To a point that is not on the Passengers Routing;
  2. Beyond the Passengers next point of Stopover or, if there is no Stopover, beyond the final Destination of the Ticket;
  3. Beyond a point to which all applicable charges have been paid;
  4. Beyond a point at which the Passenger is to Transfer to a connecting flight, if that flight is scheduled to depart from an airport different from the one at which the Passenger is scheduled to arrive; or
  5. To an intermediate point unless the intermediate point to which the Baggage is to be checked is a permissible Stopover point at the fare paid (except if the Passenger is making a connection to the first available UA flight departing from such intermediate point and the connection exceeds four hours, the Passenger may reclaim his/her Baggage at such intermediate connecting point).
So, I'd agree that the rule permits short-checking bags. I still suspect that this would take a manual override, though. I really, really don't think the computer cares about 3h59m vs 4h01m. And I still think it's going to be a lot less work to buy separate tickets.
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Old Aug 20, 2022, 8:32 pm
  #373  
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Originally Posted by jsloan
...And I still think it's going to be a lot less work to buy separate tickets.
Agreed, aviods a discussion of the technical rules with a agent that only cares what the computer states.
But 4 hour layover should technically work and better yet if it is not the next available flight.

But under 4 hours and not overnight, the OP's situation, the rules are clear, check thru.
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Old Aug 21, 2022, 8:24 am
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Agreed, aviods a discussion of the technical rules with a agent that only cares what the computer states.
But 4 hour layover should technically work and better yet if it is not the next available flight.

But under 4 hours and not overnight, the OP's situation, the rules are clear, check thru.
This seems to have worked. I re-booked it with a 7-hour stopover in MIA (which allows for an intervening UA MIA-IAH flight), and now it shows in my upcoming trips as "Washington to Miami" instead of "Washington to Houston".

Total fare was $274.20. Pretty cheap, even if that's the equivalent of two one-ways (I didn't check), but this at least provides IRROP protection. It also required 40 Plus Points to waitlist for upgrades (20 per segment) instead of 20 total as was the case when I had booked it with the shorter stopover.in MIA.
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Old Aug 21, 2022, 8:44 am
  #375  
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Originally Posted by st530
This seems to have worked. I re-booked it with a 7-hour stopover in MIA (which allows for an intervening UA MIA-IAH flight), and now it shows in my upcoming trips as "Washington to Miami" instead of "Washington to Houston".

Total fare was $274.20. Pretty cheap, even if that's the equivalent of two one-ways (I didn't check), but this at least provides IRROP protection. It also required 40 Plus Points to waitlist for upgrades (20 per segment) instead of 20 total as was the case when I had booked it with the shorter stopover.in MIA.
I still expect the computer to try to check your bag through. The phrase it uses for the upcoming trips is absolutely meaningless. I've gotten (e.g.) Austin to Houston many a time when I've connected through Houston, even though I'd very rarely fly it on its own. So, I'd give myself plenty of time at IAD and come ready to explain the situation. Something like, "I specifically added a stopover in Miami in order to drop this luggage off," with a printout of the section of Rule 23 I pasted yesterday. With any luck, I'm wrong, the computer will check your bag to Miami, and you'll just have expended a little extra effort.

Please report back with your experiences after you fly.

Good luck!
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