Late Checked Baggage: What to do?
 

On my IAD-LGA this morning, I had to "late check" a bag. I was told this means it may or may not be at LGA when I arrive. Worst case, they said, I will need to go back to LGA after the next flight lands around 4pm.

My 8am is about to leave. When I get to LGA what are some best practices in this case? Best way to find out if my bag made it on my flight, etc.

Also, besides getting to the airport earlier :) should I have done anything different?

Nothing you can do if you're late and it is too big or you have too many bags to carry-on.

I don't know if LGA has the machine or not, but if they have the bag tag reader machine - head there first to see if you can find the status of the bag. It could help you avoid the wait at the claim area just to find the bag never left the first airport.

If you can get through security, you could have gate-checked a bag.

LGA does indeed have a few kiosks in baggage claim at which one can check the status of luggage; I wish the OP the best of luck.

I would not be discouraged, because I have had a late check bag make it on my flight on a previous trip, but do use the kiosk to avoid the wait at the lugguage belt

Kiosk worked great and my bag arrived in LGA with me. Thanks all for the tips!

Glad to hear your bags made it with you.

Happened to me once, when I checked my bag about 41 mins prior to departure. Huge sigh of relief when the captain announced "Folks, were just going to be a couple minutes late while we load a few late checked bags". The system isn't completely inflexible ^

Risk: TSA
 

Your real risk is TSA deciding that they want to hand search your bag. I've had two bags late-checked simultaneously only to have one of them arrive with me because the other had been selected for hand-search and thus delayed to the next flight.