Question about transiting with different airlines

[traveler100 20]

So this is a travel question. Not an immigration question.

I was wondering if anyone booked flights through different airlines to travel to a certain destination, let's say USA. At checking in for your first flight from point of origin to the transiting airport can you check your bags to be transferred directly to your next flight, as you won't have time to pick up your bags at transiting airport and rechecking them in with your second airline. Would the first airline accommodate you in this way?

To explain things better. Let me illustrate with an example.

So let's say you're flying from Islamabad to Dubai on Emirates airlines. You'll stopover in dubai for 3 hours and catch a flight on American Airlines to New York.

So can you check your bags at Islamabad to be transferred automatically to AA flight which will take you to jfk? Since, you don't plan to go out of the airport at dubai and claim your bags and then recheck them etc... Let's say you booked both tickets separately? It's not a codeshare flight or anything.

[NikLR 13,220]

It depends on the airlines and the terminals. I've transited through different terminals at LAX and had to pick up my bags, exit, and reenter security. However at DIA, you don't have to do this because there is only one spot for security and it's before any of the terminals.

Check the security spots at the terminals and ask the airlines. Generally if you don't have to exit security, they forward your bags to your next flight.

The only issue that you'd have to pick up your bags is going through a pre-clearance airport. You would then have to go through customs and immigration at the pre-clearance airport vs in the USA (the fight is then basically a domestic flight.) It's quite possible you would have to pick up your bags first. I know Edmonton lets you drop your checked luggage off before immigration, but Calgary does not, so again, this is an airport, airline, and terminal specific thing.

http://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance

[Fr8dog 312]

checking your luggage thru till the final destination, on separately bought tickets from different airlines while flying intercontinental, is difficult and not really advisable (the change of lost luggage is pretty high).

In the example you give it is also not possible because you and your luggage must "enter" the US together in Dubai.

So if you change airlines at "the first point of entry" or "pre-clearance airport" don't even bother with it. Your cutting it pretty close with a 3 hour lay-over if you go through a pre-clearance airport. And may miss the check-in cutoff if you encounter any delays.

[hamzaisha 7]

I would advise to travel through Etihad instead of Emirates as Abu Dhabi has a pre clearance. I traveled from ISB to CRW with 3 layovers. I checked in the baggage at ISB. At Abu Dhabi pre clearance they showed me my suitcases on a camera and asked me to verify if those were my bags. After that I changed my planes at JFK and CLT and I received my baggage at CRW. I only checked them in once at ISB. Saves a hell of a lot of time.

[traveler100 20]

Dubai is not a pre-clearance airport. Abu Dhabi is.

Yeah I just realized, if luggage gets lost, who would I even hold responsible. which airline..

[Fr8dog 312]

Dubai is not a pre-clearance airport. Abu Dhabi is.

Yeah I just realized, if luggage gets lost, who would I even hold responsible. which airline..

Oops, could have sworn Dubai was also.

I have done it in the past. My flight from Amsterdam to London on British airways got canceled and they put me on KLM to London to transfer back to British airways to continue to Baltimore.

Sure enough, luggage ended up in Heathrow.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Fr8dog

[traveler100 20]

Oops, could have sworn Dubai was also.

hmmm... now you have me doubting myself. maybe it is. but I haven't been to dubai recently. i've only flown AUH recently with preclearance.

[NikLR 13,220]

No dubai is not pre-clearance right now.

I posted a list....

[SusieQQQ 11,585]

Dubai is not pre-clearance; we immigrated via Dubai, so I know this because we very definitely spent an hour + at SFO in secondary waiting for them to clear a family before us....!!

Apart from issues with transferring luggage on non-codeshare flights, you also need to think about the possibility of your first flight being delayed. If for any reason it is, and you miss the connection, it is entirely up to you to bear the costs of the missed flight (possibly on a non-refundable fare?) and rebooking a new one. With codeshare/all on one ticket this will be dealt with automatically - whether holding the connecting flight for you or ease of booking you onto the next available flight at no extra cost. Having missed more than a few international connections through delays of the first flight, even when it seemed like there was plenty of time between flights (one was nearly 4 hours!), I'd be very wary of booking flights like this.

[traveler100 20]

Dubai is not pre-clearance; we immigrated via Dubai, so I know this because we very definitely spent an hour + at SFO in secondary waiting for them to clear a family before us....!!

Apart from issues with transferring luggage on non-codeshare flights, you also need to think about the possibility of your first flight being delayed. If for any reason it is, and you miss the connection, it is entirely up to you to bear the costs of the missed flight (possibly on a non-refundable fare?) and rebooking a new one. With codeshare/all on one ticket this will be dealt with automatically - whether holding the connecting flight for you or ease of booking you onto the next available flight at no extra cost. Having missed more than a few international connections through delays of the first flight, even when it seemed like there was plenty of time between flights (one was nearly 4 hours!), I'd be very wary of booking flights like this.

Good point. Thanks