Two very stupid traveling questions...

kjewell

Judge if you must, I don't travel often.

1. If I check a bag and have a layover, do I have to do anything with checked bags between flights or do they transfer them?

2. When I pay the baggage check do I pay once and it is good roundtrip or do I have to pay to check each way seperately?

TIA!

Ab42187

1. You do not have to do anything with your checked bags during a layover they transfer them to your next flight.

2. You pay each way for your checked bag. 

monkeygirl18

#1 the bag will transfer to your connecting flight. 

#2 you will have to pay to check your bag twice ( there and then on the return trip home).  

mxolisi

Generally your bag wi be transferred. However there are scenarios where you DO need to retrieve your bag to clear customs and then recheck. You don't pay to recheck in that scenario. 

Dr.Loretta

1. They transfer them. If your layover is short though (think 30 minutes) you may have to wait for the next flight for them to get to you though. They just can't transfer bags that fast

2. No idea. I've never flown where I had bag fees. I'd ask the airline

MDGirl

1. IF you're flying different airlines that aren't partners you would have to collect and re-check your bags. This is pretty unlikely, but sometimes if you book through third parties like Orbitz or Expedia you could do this trying to get a lower price.

emilyinchile

mxolisi:

Generally your bag wi be transferred. However there are scenarios where you DO need to retrieve your bag to clear customs and then recheck. You don't pay to recheck in that scenario. 

This. All the people saying that the answer to number 1 is always "do nothing" are wrong. If you're flying internationally, you often have to collect your bag on entry to the new country, even if that's your layover rather than your final destination. For example, we fly between Chile and SF with a layover in Dallas - going Chile-Dallas-SF we have to collect our bags in Dallas because that's our point of entry to the US, but on the way back the bags automatically get put on the new plane in Dallas because we haven't left the US yet.

alithebride

emilyinchile:

mxolisi:

Generally your bag wi be transferred. However there are scenarios where you DO need to retrieve your bag to clear customs and then recheck. You don't pay to recheck in that scenario. 

This. All the people saying that the answer to number 1 is always "do nothing" are wrong. If you're flying internationally, you often have to collect your bag on entry to the new country, even if that's your layover rather than your final destination. For example, we fly between Chile and SF with a layover in Dallas - going Chile-Dallas-SF we have to collect our bags in Dallas because that's our point of entry to the US, but on the way back the bags automatically get put on the new plane in Dallas because we haven't left the US yet.

this is correct. where are you flying from, to and what's the final destination? which airlines?

thereare many many scenarios where yes, you have to get your bag, go through customs or recheck and then go through security again.

the best bet-CALL THE AIRLINE AND ASK THEM! they'll be able to tell you if your bag is checked all the way through, if your first plane will land and your 2nd plane will depart fromt he same terminal etc....

and they're not stupid questions at all.

also for the baggage fees-it should be on teh airlines website. i've never paid to check a bag but from what I understand it's pay each way at departure airport.

babygirlpriest

MDGirl:

1. IF you're flying different airlines that aren't partners you would have to collect and re-check your bags. This is pretty unlikely, but sometimes if you book through third parties like Orbitz or Expedia you could do this trying to get a lower price.

This isn't always the case. I flew Hawaiian Air from Maui to Oahu then United from Oahu to San Fran to DC. We checked bags at the Hawaiian Air counter in Maui and they were tagged to be transferred to United and sent directly to DC. Incidentally, we also only had to pay the $17 Hawaiian Air fee vs. the $25 United bags fee.

Hawaiian was also able to print all our United boarding passes.

kjewell

Thanks ladies,

We are taking a domestic flight.  Detroit to Orlando which is non-stop but our return flight from Orlando we have a 2.5 hr layover in Atlanta.

We are flying AirTran both ways.

alithebride

since you'll only be doing domestic (so no worry about customs or immigration) and on the same airline then no-you dont have to collect your bags at the layover either time.