Can you check a bag to the first stop in your flight?

Question

I have a flight from Kansas City to Newark and then on to Rochester. I have decided that i want to stop in Newark and not continue on to Rochester. I will be taking a train a few days later and it was cheaper. I think most airlines check your bag all the way through but i was wondering if you can have it stop at Newark since thats where i will be stopping. I know it sounds weird but it was actually cheaper that trying to find a flight from kc to newark, you would have to stop in charolet nc. Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

This sounds simple, but it really is not. The following assumes that you have a nonrefundable ticket, which is what most leisure travelers buy.

The airline checks your bag through to the final destination on your ticket, which is Rochester. You can't admit that you're getting off in Newark because the airline does not allow you to change your ticket without paying their change fees. Honesty will cost you money.

You can cancel the Newark to Rochester flight, but that creates an entirely new set of problems. Assuming that you are on a nonrefundable ticket, the airline will charge you a large fee for changing your ticket. If the fare to Newark is higher than the fare to Rochester, they will also charge you the additional fare. In short, your plan could get very expensive.

If you don't check any luggage, you can just hop off at Newark. However, that only works on one-way tickets or if you're on the return portion of your journey. If you don't show up for the Newark-Rochester flight, the airline will cancel all of your remaining flights - including your flights home.

If you have a one-way ticket, then it probably has few or no restrictions. If the fare to Newark is the same or cheaper than the fare to Rochester, then just cancel the Newark-Rochester flight and check your bags to Newark. Otherwise, the easiest and cheapest thing to do is to use your ticket as originally purchased. Sorry, but that's how this goofy industry works. The cheapest fares come with many restrictions. That's why they're cheaper.

Answer 2

It most likely will be; once you arrive they tag your bag. They print out your destination and tag it on the bag but if you say when you arrive they can tag it for your first stop instead.

May be an idea to phone ahead to ensure this though; don't want to risk it incase.

Answer 3

If I am understanding you correctly, you are not using the Newark-Rochester portion of your plane ticket.  In that case, just cancel that leg of your trip.  If you do not want to try and figure out who to call to cancel that portion, then just tell the agent at the gate when you check in at Kansas City.  She won't check you in for that portion of the flight, and your bags should be tagged to Newark only.  

It's better if you cancel ahead of time as someone else might need that seat to Rochester.

Answer 4

I agree with Shadow except for the last part about canceling the 2nd flight of a one way ticket. If you do that, when you try to check in at the airport, it will say: "unable to process, see agent". Sorry to say, but you'll have to take the trip as ticketed, see the fine print in the ticket contract.