How early can you check baggage?

[Heidi]

I was curious how early you can check your baggage in at the airport. I love my van but after you put people in it there is no room for the bags. I live very close to DFW airport and considered going up at lunchtime the day we leave and checking the baggage in. Anyone know if I can do this?

Thanks!!!

 

[TravelSheryl]

Depending on the airline, it's usually 4-6 hours prior to scheduled departure, but you really need to call the airline about this because it's not as simple as you may think.

Depending on the size of your party (i.e., if there are more than 2 people), you will probably exceed the baggage limitations if only one person checks in (you have to check in to leave your bags). You will not likely be able to check in on behalf of other adults in your party (in order to increase your baggage limitation) due to security requirements.

While this may seem like an easy way to get around your issue, I think it's more involved than you realize.

Also, it's not the best idea to have your bags sitting at their destination for many hours before you arrive to claim them. The longer your bags sit around at any airport, the greater the chances of them being mislaid. And while some airlines say bags must be on same flight as passenger (although this is not an FAA regulation for domestic flights), the fact of the matter is they do sometimes put your bags on the first flight to your destination, regardless if you are booked on a later flight.

 

[kozmo]

You really should call the airlines, i would be afraid they might loose my luggage if i checked it in too early,wouldnt be fun on vacation without your suitcase.

 

[Heidi]

TravelSheryl - Thans for the answer - even if it is not the one I wanted. But your right, it would have made things SO much easier. There are 6 in our group, 4 of them children.

I will still call the airline to check. But I am sure you are probably correct. Oh well, it was a good thought anyway!!!!

 

[drusba]

Not sure how long before departure you plan on checking bagsbut we have done so 5 hours before a flight. Usually it is easy particularly if you do not mind tipping. Take the bags to a skycap area at the arrival entrances (where limos, taxis and cars go to drop off people for flights). Just have with you all the tickets (although you usually only need one). The skycap will check the bags for the flight (you give tip) and then you can get back into your car, and come back later.

 

[CarolA]

If you do it at the skycap you can probably get away with it. Just be sure to have all the names of the various passangers and tip them. There is a slight risk of luggage being "lost" in Orlando. I have seen them put the luggage on an earlier flight which leaves it sitting around the Orlando airport for several hours. However, they now say they willhold the luggage and board it on your plane. I have also seen that go wrong and the luggage not make it! If you do this, pack some basic supplies in a carryon so you can survive if your luggage takes a different flight.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

yes the FAA doesn't like that to be done too early because of Bombs. and the airlines don't like it too much because of where do we keep it until the flight 4 hrs from now. they only have so many carriers and such and if you have ever been in a bag make up room its a huge mess sometimes. you have carts with city codes listed on them that the bags have to go in to get to the right gate for the right aircraft and if you have a lot of bags and are just looking at the city code on the bag tag instead of the flt nbr too it could get on the wrong flight especially if the airport is a major hub for a carrier and they have x amount of flights departing for the same city at the time of your bag drop off. and the skycaps basically take your bag and send it down the same belt loader that the airlines use so it goes to the same place as if you left it at the tkt cntr. no matter when you send your bags thru make sure it has adequate id on thebag so that if it does get sent on the right flt it can be easily traced. in fact when I go anywhere I always put the name of the hotel and city on it as well.
I have been in the make up room when there have been a lot of cancelled or delayed flights and its one of the biggest messes I have ever seen.

 

[Katiedid75090]

Heidi, When are you leaving? We live in Sherman, TX and are leaving 6/15. Staying around Universal 2 nights then on to the Villas at DI the 17th - 22nd. We will be flying out of DFW on Delta evening flight. We will probably get to the airport 3 hours before our flight. DH gets antsy if we wait until later. We have checked our bags in at the skycap everytime and never had a problem.

 

[drusba]

Beverly Lynn makes good points for not doing it and the risks involved. Just note, I am from Chicago and fly out of O'Hare where it seems every flight is delayed five hours anyway and thus you always end up checking your bags in early

 

[Heidi]

I understand now the risks and honestly the thing that is dsetering most now is it seems like it would be a big hassle to the employees that have to handel the baggage. I dont want to make there jobs harder.

Katiedid75090 - My DH is from Sherman!!!! Alot of his reatives also live there. Small world!!! I spend ALOT of time in Whitesboro and at Texoma Lake. Email me (MDVHSA@aol.com) and maby we could chat a bit. We leave on 06/07 and return on the 17th.

Thanks for all the advice people!!! Actualy after packing all the bags last night it is not as bad as I thought. When everything was all over the room it didnt look possible. But I think we are doing great on packing!!!