US transit - when do I need to re-check my luggage?
I've recently flown LHR-MIA-MVD with AA. It's not the first time I do this, but to my surprise, it was the first time I didn't have to pick up my suitcase in Miami and go through customs with it - I checked it in at Heathrow, and picked it up in the final destination.
Is this a recent policy? I'm particularly interested in knowing what will happen with my return flight (MVD-MIA-LHR). Any list of destinations or combinations where they do this?
Best Answer
Is this a recent policy?
I can’t quote on Miami, but in 2002 I travelled to Australia from Germany via Canada. Our final flight was Vancouver–Sydney on Air Canada which had a stop in Honolulu with everybody exiting the plane, passing through immigration, going back to the departure lounge and getting back onto the same plane. Unless my memory is strongly fooling me, we did not have to collect our bags.
Thus, it’s not a recent thing, it’s not a thing restricted to US-based airlines and it’s not restricted to Miami.
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Do I have to recheck my luggage on a connecting flight?
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.Do I have to check my bag twice if I have a layover?
When you purchase a layover flight, you will need to claim your bags when you land at your layover destination, and recheck them the next day when you continue your flight(s).Do I have to go through security again for connecting flight in the US?
For connecting domestic flights, you almost never have to exit and reenter security, though there are some exceptions at airports where the terminals aren't all connected. For domestic-to-international connection, it's still pretty rare that you have to exit and reenter security, even if you're changing terminals.How long of a layover do I need for checked baggage?
For peace of mind, particularly when connecting in a large city, try to schedule a layover of at least 60 minutes. If you have gate-checked items or are traveling with someone with special needs, extend your connection time to 90 minutes if possible.#AmericanAnswers - Do I have to recheck my bags after customs when traveling internationally?
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