For a trip that includes one or more connections: We'll check your bags to your final destination and apply the charge for checking a bag from your origin to your destination. For a trip that includes a voluntary stopover: We'll check your bags to your stopover point, where you'll collect your bags.

Whether you need to pick up your luggage on a connecting flight with United Airlines depends on a few key factors. Here’s a breakdown:

General Rule: Luggage is Usually Checked Through

In most cases, when you book a connecting flight on a single ticket (even with a partner airline), United will check your luggage through to your final destination. You do not need to pick it up and re-check it during your layover.

When You DO Need to Pick Up and Re-check Luggage:

There are important exceptions. You will typically need to collect your bags and re-check them if:

1. Your Final Destination is the USA (Arriving from an International Flight):

   • This is the most common scenario. When you enter the United States from another country, you must collect your bags at your first U.S. port of entry, clear customs and immigration, and then re-check them.
   • Example: Flying Toronto (YYZ) → Chicago (ORD) → Los Angeles (LAX). You pick up bags in Chicago, go through customs, then drop them at the United baggage re-check counter before going to your LAX gate.

2. You Have Two Separate Tickets:

   • If you booked your flights on separate tickets/reservations (e.g., a United ticket to a city, then a separate ticket on another airline for the next leg), you must collect your bags, exit the secure area, and check in for your next flight.

3. Connecting to/from a Partner Airline with Different Baggage Agreements:

   • While rare on a single ticket, some airline partnerships or specific routes may require