Curbside Check in

[G00fyDad]

Okay. This may have been asked before but I swear I cannot find it.

How exactly does curbside check in work. I have never used it. When I get out of my car I.... ?

Thanks

 

[beattyfamily]

Okay. This may have been asked before but I swear I cannot find it.

How exactly does curbside check in work. I have never used it. When I get out of my car I.... ?
Thanks

It's wonderful. You unload your car at your airlines' curbside check in and be sure that they offer it as I guess not all airlines/airports offer it.

Then you wait in a small line if any. Then you give them your luggage and your license and they'll ask you what flight etc but they have all that in the system under your name.

Then they tag your luggage and hand you your boarding pass(s). I tip them very well as they are saving me from waiting in the inside line AND they are handling my luggage and I do not want it lost.

My DH usually unloads the car and waits with me because they must see him and his license BUT he's not suppose to do this as in Boston we are not suppose to leave a car there for any amount of time except unloading but so far we haven't gotten in trouble. If they ever said something to him, then I'd just wait there till he parked and then check in when he gets there...if you are being dropped off then you don't have that issue.

Hope this helps you. It's quite easy.

 

[G00fyDad]

Outstanding. Thank you. The DISboards have honestly saved my sanity lately.

This is very good news, as the airport we are flying out of in Louisville, KY is one of the busiest in the nation. Especially around October November and December.

Now, one of the only things that have me nervous is the pack of gum with wings we are flying down there in. LOL

 

[Rpsemont]

Just for another perspective, here's how we do it.
1) we try to do on line check in from home
2) DH drops the rest of us at the airport - departures area - hopefully not to far from the skycap. Enroute to Fla there's never a line. Usually someone is there almost instantly to start tagging our luggage. DH takes the car to park it in the long term lot and meet us at the gate later. Skycap's tag the luggage, give me the claim checks and off we go to the gate.
3) in Orlando it's been a little more complicated, but this is how it usually goes. DH drops me, BIL and DD at the curb and takes off to return the rental car. Now that DD is 10, I leave her with the stack of luggage exactly where we left it, and go stand in the line for the skycaps. When I'm finally at the front and have a skycap, I send him over to where DD is with the luggage. Meanwhile BIL has stood in line with me, but kept his luggage with him. To be honest, I think sometimes the line is shorter inside at Orlando, but DD's not quite old enough for me to send her to one line, and BIL to another to figure out the quickest. And using the skycap saves us carrying the luggage.

The only thing you have to watch out for if one person is dealing with the car and leaving the others with the luggage, is that you don't have more than 2 bags per person. Since DD and I only have one bag, either one of us can check DH's and when necessary check a second bags if we've accumulated alot of souvenirs.

I usually tip $2 bag

 

[beattyfamily]

Just for another perspective, here's how we do it.
1) we try to do on line check in from home

fyi...most airlines don't let you do online check-in if you have any luggage to check in. They will let you do online check-in if you only have carry-ons. And if you have an airline that will let you do online check-in, even with luggage to check, you really arent' going to save any time as you still have to do curbside check in. If you have no check-in luggage then online check-in is GREAT and the way to go and the only line you'll encounter is the security check line.

I wish I could do it but I'll never have no check-in luggage with 2 DDs and a DH who has a major over packing problem!

 

[G00fyDad]

Me before WDW planning:

Me AFTER WDW planning:

 

[beattyfamily]

Me before WDW planning:

Me AFTER WDW planning:

Yes, but it's worth it in the end, I promise!!

 

[CarolA]

You can do online check in with luggage. I do it all the time. Just give you printed boarding pass to the skycap or gate agent.

Now, there is no real benefit I was doing it for FF miles.

Also, Skycaps are tip dependent. If you want your luggage to arrive with you tip..I usually do $2 per bag.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

We are a family of 5 and normally tip $25.00. You would be surprised at how many times our luggage is tagged priority and is unloaded first. Small price to pay for the convenience.

 

[Rpsemont]

I do on-line because of SWA and hoping to get that sometimes ellusive A boarding pass. Plus, it takes care of DH when he ends up with no luggage because it's all with us.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done online check-in and checked luggage. Last month I flew Air Tran and I went in 24 hours before to get our seat assignments and print the boarding passes. At the airport they tagged the luggage at the counter, they do not have curbside at PIT for Air Tran. On our way home, I had my laptop but no printer. So I did the online check-in and asked the skycap at MCO to print the boarding passes. No problem.

 

[beattyfamily]

Well, I don't bother with online check-in since I always have luggage to check. It saves me no time and no steps. I always have assigned seats already so there's no point for my family to do it.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Since we are new to the whole "ticketless travel" era I did print our boarding passes at home.

My mom dropped us off at the airport. At curbside for American DH, DS and I all stood there with our bags. The skycap checked our boarding passes, checked our ID's and tagged our bags. We asked the TSA screener if we could lock the luggage with the disposable locks - he said that was fine.

We tipped $5 total for four bags - I think I have heard the standard is $1-$2 per bag.

Coming home we had the skycap at MCO print our boarding passes. I've never had any issues with curbside.

If the national security thing is elevated they may not have it available, but you can check that with the airport just before your trip. It seems like one summer that I flew there was no curbside at DFW.

The biggest horror story I have heard about curbside is a lady I attended a conference with didn't tip the guy and he chased behind her calling out "MA'AM!! THIS IS A SERVICE!!" All she had was a $20 but she was so horrified she tossed it at him and went on her way. Make sure you have some small bills.

 

[G00fyDad]

I plan on tipping them $20 - $25. They dont have an easy job. They have to deal with the "me" generation constantly. Like people that get out of their car and expect them to get their luggage and be quick about it. They deserve it. Plus, that amount just might insure an acurate and speedy baggage claim.

 

[CarolA]

They will give change. I have given them a bill and asked them to change it. I have never had a problem with them doing that.

 

[skiwee1]

We always check in online and have luggage. Last trip was to Utah with 15 pieces of luggage! Flew Delta and checked in online. We also check in online for Airtran and SW and always have luggage.

 

[beattyfamily]

We always check in online and have luggage. Last trip was to Utah with 15 pieces of luggage! Flew Delta and checked in online. We also check in online for Airtran and SW and always have luggage.

Yes, I know you 'can' do it with luggage to check, but for me it's not worth as I save no time whatsoever and I already have assigned seats. There is no benefit for me except to already have my boarding pass, which is just something else I could misplace.

 

[skiwee1]

Yes, I know you 'can' do it with luggage to check, but for me it's not worth as I save no time whatsoever and I already have assigned seats. There is no benefit for me except to already have my boarding pass, which is just something else I could misplace.

In other words you do not need to check in at the counter either? I know that when I check in online I too have my assigned seats and my boarding passes. When going to the airport it is so easy tojust do curbside. Five minutes or less and I'm finished and on my way to the gate. I am especially thankful that I don't have to stand in the check in line at the airport because that line is always huge. So how do you it if you don't check in online yet you save time? Just standing in the check in line is a waste.

 

[DJT]

We usually fly Southwest out of Louisville and haven't seen any skycaps outside for curbside check in at Southwest's location. There has never been a line inside either. Of course, their planes aren't the "pack of gum with wings" planes either. Thank goodness!

Donna

 

[beattyfamily]

In other words you do not need to check in at the counter either? I know that when I check in online I too have my assigned seats and my boarding passes. When going to the airport it is so easy tojust do curbside. Five minutes or less and I'm finished and on my way to the gate. I am especially thankful that I don't have to stand in the check in line at the airport because that line is always huge. So how do you it if you don't check in online yet you save time? Just standing in the check in line is a waste.

I have two choices, IMHO, as the third choice of standing in the check in line inside is not an option as that would be crazy since I have the other two options, which are online check in with only carry ons which saves me from ALL lines except security (then I wouldn't even have to do curbside which would be great but will never happen as I'll always have luggage to check in). Then there's curbside check in (whether or not I check in online or not I still use this feature since I always have luggage to check).

I unload my car, give the skycap my license and luggage and he checks the luggage and hands me my boarding passes and I tip him.

If I check in online and have my boarding passes already, I still have to unload my car and hand the skycap my luggage. I don't see it as saving any time. Yeah, the skycap has to give me my boarding passes but I'd rather he give them to me than my printer at home as that's one less thing to loose on the way to the airport.

It takes me five minutes or less with the skycap, unless for some reason curbside is busy that morning. I do have to go in the curbside check in line (if any) just as you do, only difference is you have your boarding passes already and I don't. It takes hims seconds to print them out and I'm out of there fast. This is what I prefer. I feel I don't save any time printing my boarding passes at home vs. the skycap doing it. That way he can tell me of any flight delays or gate changes that might have occured as well.

Whether I check in online or with the skycap, its all the same. I still have to check in with the skycap to give him my luggage. Once I tip him, I don't wait in any other lines except security just like you.

It's a matter of preference and what your used to. I see no need to check in online and then with the skycap again the next morning. I just do it all with the skycap. That is what I prefer. If someday I do not have any luggage to check, then I'd gladly check in online and skip ALL lines except security!! That would be GREAT but it's never gonna happen.