What do I do if I have a check-in bag but have a layover flight?

The agent at check-in will usually ask if you want your luggage checked through to your last stop. You'll also receive boarding passes for both flights when you first check-in, so all you will need to do is find your gate at your connecting airport and your bags will automatically follow.



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If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.

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Do I need to check in twice for connecting flights? Usually, you don't. However, if your connecting flight is not with a SkyTeam airline, you may need to check in separately to get your boarding pass. You can do that at the transfer desk or the kiosk of the airline you're flying with.

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You might only receive your first boarding pass when you check-in for the first time. If so, then you will have to find the correct ticket counter at the layover airport and get your second boarding pass for the new flight.

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When layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.

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If you are on a connecting flight and your bag was gate-checked for the first leg of a trip, be sure to verify with the agent checking your bag whether it needs to be picked up and re-checked or collected at any point along your travel route.

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While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A layover is the time you spend at the airport between two flights. A connecting flight is the next flight in your itinerary that you're waiting at the airport to take.

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In most cases, passengers on layover flights must clear customs and immigration at the first point of entry.

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Why international travelers must collect and recheck bags for their U.S. connecting flight. The foremost reason fo rechecking your bag after an international flight is security. “It's part of our efforts to protect the country,” Tammy Melvin, a CBP public affairs spokesperson, told AFAR.

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The recommended layover time for domestic flights is normally one hour. However, as previously stated, you may require longer if your flights are booked with two different airlines, if you are traveling to a very busy airport or if you require special assistance.

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Basically, a layover is the time an airline gives you to change planes between flights. On a layover that's scheduled by the airline, you'll likely be traveling on the same ticket for every flight included in the itinerary, and you may have some time to kill at the airport.

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What to Do After Online Check-In. Once you receive your electronic boarding pass, you can head straight to security if you're traveling carry-on only. If you're checking a bag, you'll still need to stop by the ticketing area at the airport. Look for special “bag drop” lines that bypass longer check-in lines.

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When arriving at the connecting airport all you have to do is to go to your next gate and wait for the next plane, your next flight. There might be a security check in the terminal at the connecting airport. But mostly you don't have to do anything about your luggage. It's being taken care of by the airport personnel.

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When overhead bins fill up, travelers with carry-ons that don't fit under the seat will be asked to gate check their bag. Gate checking is always free of charge, and basically means your carry-on will be put into the cargo hold with all the other checked luggage.

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Airlines will transfer your checked bags if a codeshare or interline agreement exists between them. You can find out what agreements your airline has by visiting their website.

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Do I need to check in twice for connecting flights? Usually, you don't. However, if your connecting flight is not with a SkyTeam airline, you may need to check in separately to get your boarding pass. You can do that at the transfer desk or the kiosk of the airline you're flying with.

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It makes sense, because the practice saps revenue from them on two fronts: Not only do passengers underpay — potentially by hundreds of dollars per ticket — but the seat on the tossed leg also could have been sold to someone else. Most contracts of carriage from major airlines expressly forbid skiplagging as a result.

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During domestic layovers, you are free to leave the airport. If your domestic layover is longer than one hour, you should expect to receive two boarding permits. If you want to check out local points of interest, make sure you get your second boarding pass and print it out before you leave.

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Transit. Another point of confusion is layover vs stopover or transit. Once again, a layover is a stop that lasts less than 24 hours, while a stopover lasts 24 hours or more. On the other hand, Transit is simply the act of returning to the same aircraft after your layover at the airport.

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In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

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What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

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8 Things to do If You Think Your Layover is Too Short
  1. Change your flight. ...
  2. Change your seat. ...
  3. Pack up your carry-on. ...
  4. Travel carry-on only. ...
  5. Ask for your connecting gate. ...
  6. Look at the airport map. ...
  7. Don't make any stops in the airport. ...
  8. Wear comfortable shoes.


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Your baggage If you've booked two flights separately, in most cases you'll need to pick up your checked bags and check-in for your connecting flight.

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