Questions and Answers

Good Afternoon Lucky & OMAAT Team,

I’m a long time reader of your blog and check it daily for exciting trip reports and credit card offers! I have a family trip coming up this summer and had a couple questions about checked bags. We’re flying with Lufthansa, booked through United, from IAH to IAD (to re-position & separate itinerary ) for our next itinerary from IAD to LIS. How much time do you recommend to collect our bags from IAD airport for our next flight to LIS?

Also, on the return we’re on 1 itinerary flying on United Airlines from LIS > IAD > BOS > IAH. Once arriving into IAD will we need to clear customs and collect our checked bags and recheck them before continuing the next leg? Or, can they be checked to the final destination from LIS to IAH? I just want to make sure we don’t run into any problems with not having enough time at the airport and missing our flight!

I appreciate your help and look forward to your response!

Thank you!
Abil

When you check in at IAH, tell them you have a separate ticket for IAD-LIS. They may be able to thru-check your bag all the way to LIS.

On the return, you HAVE to collect bags in IAD, even if it’s thru-checked to IAH. When you get your bags, look for a bag drop near by – you should be able to drop bags there instead of hauling them back to check in.

[QUOTE=”David W, post: 57853, member: 29″]When you check in at IAH, tell them you have a separate ticket for IAD-LIS. They may be able to thru-check your bag all the way to LIS.

On the return, you HAVE to collect bags in IAD, even if it’s thru-checked to IAH. When you get your bags, look for a bag drop near by – you should be able to drop bags there instead of hauling them back to check in.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the quick response! I have about a 1:30 hour stop in IAD before leaving for BOS to IAH. Is that a reasonable amount of time to collect bags?

I havent connected IAD before – I’m not sure. Given that you booked it on one ticket, it should be. If you misconnect, it’s UA’s job to get you to IAH.

On your outbound flight I’m always a little cautious and make sure there’s at least one more flight to the destination (IAD in your case) after the one I booked, so that if my flight goes mechanical there’s another flight that will get me there in time. Seeing as you’re flying hub-to-hub there should be plenty of options but there’s really not a thing as “too much time” when you’re on separate tickets.