The best priority luggage = reasonable-sized carry-on. ;)

Disagree also. Flew LIS-FRA-ATH last week and back again. In ATH my bags were the third and fourth bags out of the chute. On the return to LIS, my bags were out within 10 mins, behind only crew luggage and other priority tagged bags.

If you are on a flight with several other elite FFers, there may be many other priority tagged bags on that flight. Just because yours isn't first doesn't mean you didn't receive priority treatment.

If you're flying to MNL and using CX for the last leg in, getting a priority tag on it will mean it's last... Don't do it... No priority tag means it's in the middle somewhere...

Lately, I have noticed definite improvements system wide in UA's handling of priority bags. It used to be that only the overseas locations made the effort, but then that mentality spread to the US international hubs and finally made it to domestic operations. ^^

SFO-IAD. Checked my bag w/ priority tags (had a bunch of crap for skiing). Was literally first bag on luggage carousel. Might have been random, but definitely was appreciated.

ON my 1/1 OGG-SFO the priority tags evidently worked very well - virtually all of the first bags out were priority tagged. My first bag was second out, and my dive bag was closer to 20th out. But all the bags were priority tagged. Amazing.

I frequently visit ORD and SFO, and often seen the priority bags out first at these hubs...

Alas, I am only a 2p, so I don't get one :(

I had the same experience in the past month in EWR and LAX. I think the tag finally starts working domestically!

Last yr, when I was flying express flights, the tags literally did nothing for me. In fact, there were times my bags came out LAST.

The last 3 times I checked my luggage, it's been great!

Dec25 - IAD-ORD- 2 bags checked, literally the first 2 out
Jan 2 - ORD-IAD - 2 bags checked, 3rd and 4th ones out (after other priority bags)
Jan 7 - IAD-YYZ - 2 bags checked, 1st and 2nd bags out.

Now I make sure I stand in the 1k checking line in ORD for the priority tags rather than going to the easy online checkin counters even if the line's are longer.

I really hope this trend continues! ^


On a semi-related note, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking that maybe there is a possibility that all of the bags are actually coming out LATER than they're supposed to in general (even though priority ones are first) because they have to purposely sort out the priority ones first. Maybe it's all in our minds and we're easily satisfied... Might be an interesting theory to test out.

Did it work ORD-MCO (if you flew it)? My experience (through 28 Dec 2008) is that MCO doesn't honor the priority tags...ever. Stations elsewhere seem to be honoring them.

CDG 12/20: my luggage (2 suitcases) came in within 2 minutes of first one
ORD 1/2 (connection): luggage also came in within 2 minutes
DEN 1/2 (final destination): waited 40 minutes after first luggage to get mine :(

This is consistent with my previous experience that the priority tags work fairly often, but not always.

Operation priority vs status priority
 

This past weekend on an AA flight from LHR:LAX I noticed that all of the first bags out had short connection tags. The priority bags began after the short connection bags ended. We had several bags and I was focused on getting them and getting out of immigration, so I was paying close attention to the flow of bags. This leads me to believe that on some flights the reason the status priority bags are not first is because of these operational issues. I will pay more attention on my next UA flight to see if a similar situation as that on AA is apparent.

Priority Tags worked for me!!!
 

Usually it makes no difference, but yesterday, SAV - ORD my bags were the first to come off. Actually my bag was the only one to come out for two minutes, and then the rest of the bags came out. Went to the "oversized" items line and once again my golf clubs were the only ones there. A few minutes later my partners clubs came out (sans priority tag).

A first for me, checked in 2 roller bags from PVG-ORD and it was the first 2 bags that came out! I average 20-30 mins wait at ORD after an international flight.

The guy beside me looked at me and said "that was easy" :D

I touched down at 4.05pm and was in a cab by 4.35pm. WOW!

Hit or Miss
 

Like many things United the priority tags are a hit and miss affair.

LHR-SAT via ORD with priority tags = 1 bag made it, 2 bags delivered next day.
SAT-LHR via ORD no priority tags :confused: = 3 bags made it.
LHR-BOS via IAD no priority tags = both bags delivered at 4am the next day:td:
BOS-LHR via ORD with priority tags = bags taken off belt with 1st and Biz.