Flights, Multiple Airlines

[KennethToronto]

Hey,

I'm using kayak.com to search for flights and I get these cheap ones with multiple connections, i.e.

A -> B (US Air)
B -> C (American Airlines)
C -> D (American Airlines)

I was wondering if I booked something like this, when I arrive at airport A, do I go to the ticket counter for both airlines and pick up my ticket? Or do I have to fly US Air from A->B, pick up my luggage, go out and get my tickets from AA at airport B and then go through customs again for airport B?

[heymikey]

In airport A, you go to the US Air counter and you will be checking your luggage all the way to airport D. You will also be getting your boarding passes for all 3 flights. If you will be departing to the US from Canada, you will be passing through US Customs in Canada so you won't have to pick them up and re-check them in airports B or C.

[pitz]

If you have multiple tickets, Air Canada will no longer check your bags 'through' onto another airline.

For instance, I used to do this frequently:

Calgary-Los Angeles (Air Canada)
Los Angeles-Miami/Dallas (American)
Miami/Dallas-San Jose, CR (American)

On 2 tickets (it was $700 versus paying AC/AA $1000 for the same trip on one ticket). In the past, I could get AC in Calgary to tag my bags through to San Jose, and issue me boarding passes for all the flights.

But they recently revised their policy, so they will no longer tag your bags through *unless* your entire itinerary is booked on one ticket.

So if I were to do that trip today, I would have to collect my bags in Los Angeles (T2) baggage carousel in the basement, walk them over to American at LAX T4, check in, and then get on the flight.

[Mark099]

Hey,

I'm using kayak.com to search for flights and I get these cheap ones with multiple connections, i.e.

A -> B (US Air)
B -> C (American Airlines)
C -> D (American Airlines)

I was wondering if I booked something like this, when I arrive at airport A, do I go to the ticket counter for both airlines and pick up my ticket? Or do I have to fly US Air from A->B, pick up my luggage, go out and get my tickets from AA at airport B and then go through customs again for airport B?

If US Air is a partner with AA, your bags will likely get checked through to your destination (D).

If you have multiple tickets, Air Canada will no longer check your bags 'through' onto another airline.

For instance, I used to do this frequently:

Calgary-Los Angeles (Air Canada)
Los Angeles-Miami/Dallas (American)
Miami/Dallas-San Jose, CR (American)

On 2 tickets (it was $700 versus paying AC/AA $1000 for the same trip on one ticket). In the past, I could get AC in Calgary to tag my bags through to San Jose, and issue me boarding passes for all the flights.

But they recently revised their policy, so they will no longer tag your bags through *unless* your entire itinerary is booked on one ticket.

So if I were to do that trip today, I would have to collect my bags in Los Angeles (T2) baggage carousel in the basement, walk them over to American at LAX T4, check in, and then get on the flight.

If you had used United Airlines, AC would have likely checked your bags all the way through because they are partners.

[pitz]

If you had used United Airlines, AC would have likely checked your bags all the way through because they are partners.

AC will check the bags all the way through onto AA, partners or not, if you're travelling on one ticket.

But if you have 2 tickets, partners or not, AC will not check the bags through, unless the second ticket consists of AC flights as well.

Its kind of dumb, but its designed to discourage people like me from piecing together 2 seat sale fares like what I described above.

[Shaner]

AC will check the bags all the way through onto AA, partners or not, if you're travelling on one ticket.

But if you have 2 tickets, partners or not, AC will not check the bags through, unless the second ticket consists of AC flights as well.

Its kind of dumb, but its designed to discourage people like me from piecing together 2 seat sale fares like what I described above.

That's all fine and dandy, but the OP is asking about multiple airlines on one ticket, not two tickets. You're just confusing him.

To the OP, your bags will likely be checked right through to your final destination, but just ask when you get to the ticket counter to make sure.