Will my luggage make my connection?

There is never any guarantee that bags will make a connection, but a longer layover does increase the chances. A 53-minute connection will work under normal circumstances, but your chances would be far better will an additional hour or so, especially if your first flight is slightly delayed.

What happens if my luggage doesn’t make my connecting flight?

If you have missed a connecting flight and your luggage has been checked, it will most likely go on without you — so your suitcase may be en route to the Bahamas while you’re stuck in a chilly airport in Chicago. Go to your airline’s ticket counter and ask if it can locate your bags.

Can I check my bag all the way through when my connecting flight is on a separate ticket?

Unfortunately, there is no way to ensure that your luggage will be checked through when traveling on two separate tickets.

Can I bring my luggage on a connecting flight?

Below are various flight situations regarding connecting flights and your checked luggage. If you’re traveling from one destination to another, but you have a little stop on the way, and both your flights are on the same ticket, most likely your bags will be checked to the final destination.

When do you have to recheck your luggage when connecting?

If your first connecting flight is international, this is when you’ll most likely be required to recheck your luggage. When you check-in your bags, the airline will put a tag on it. This tag will have information such as the flight number, date, routing details, and number of bags.

Do I need to pick up my bags at the airport?

If your bag is tagged to your next or final destination, you may need to pick up your bags and place them on the connection drop-off belt. If it is not tagged to your next or final destination, then you will definitely need to pick up your bags and check them in for your next flight.

Do Airlines check your luggage all the way to your destination?

When your ticket has carriers that frequently work together through connecting flights, they will usually check it all the way to your final destination. If workers do not have enough time, possibly from delayed flights or layovers, the plane may take off before your luggage makes it onto the plane.