Travelling multiple airlines for the first time. Help!?

Question

My new employer just booked my flights yesterday for onboarding next week.

I'm booked on four different airlines: A and B there, and C and D back.

Outbound is through Orlando; both A and B gates are close. Return is through O'Hare and C and D are in terminal 1 and 3 respectively.

I've never flown multiples before and am concerned. This is business, not pleasure so I need my luggage at least on the way there. This sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen.

Any tips or helpers would be awesome. Just having to take off and land two times each way is difficult (sinus headaches). I have about 30 minutes to change planes in Orlando, and an hour at O'Hare.

What do I need at check in for luggage? Do I have enough time at O'hare? It is huge! Any other thoughts or tips?

Thanks much for all help.

cez

Answer 1

Your baggage may be "checked through" from home-MCO-destination and destination-ORD-home, or it may not.  It depends on if A&B, and C&D, have that agreement with each other.  They will be able to tell you when you check in.  In general, though, if when you check in they give you both boarding passes for that day, then they will transfer your luggage.

But, as the other person said, 30 minutes is pretty tight.  Even 60 is tight, given that you are changing terminals, especially if your inbound flight is late.  One thing you may consider doing is asking if you can "gate check" your baggage.  This means, instead of handing it over at the checkin desk, you carry it through security, to the gate, and leave it (with a special tag on it) near the bend in the jetway (where there is an employees-only door on your right to the outside), or on a rack on the tarmac if you are boarding without using a jetway.  They put it on the plane, and then when you land you pick it up in the jetway or planeside.  Of course that would mean that you are no longer allowed to bring anything from the list of stuff that's allowed to be checked but not allowed to be carried on, since there would be nothing preventing you from transferring that item from your gate-checked bag to your carryon while waiting in the gate area.

Answer 2

If it is on different airlines - I am not sure if they exchange your baggage - I would call you outbound airport to ask. If it is the same airline but different terminals or a connector flight they will take your luggage from flight to flight.

I would see for the returning flights how many minutes are inbetween each one because while the plane lands then, it takes time to get off - then I would call O'hare and ask if your luggage will be transferred for you, make sure you speak to a confident employee.

I mostly answered this question because I've flown with a sinus headache and my ears would not depressurize and I almost ruptured my ear drum twice and friends wife did rupture hers twice. Before you fly, spray nasal spray in your nose and it will help a great great deal. The best one, is called Afrin -  there is also a new one called FlightSpray, haven't tried it yet though.

Answer 3

It is good that your trip going to the destination has gates that are close together.  30 minutes is tight as it is but if the gates are close, you should be fine barring any delays.  However 30 minutes is not that much time for luggage to be transferred especially if it is on different airlines.  To be safe, if you must check-in luggage, I would bring a change of clothes with you on-board just in-case.

O'Hare is not a great airport to fly into.  Many people try to avoid it because it is so busy.  United and American have huge hubs there.  You will take United to Chicago and then American to your final destination it appears.  1 hour in theory should be enough time but every time I fly United to Chicago, the flight leaves the gate on-time but then the plane sits on the tarmac for about 15-20 minutes because O'hare is so congested that they cannot accept additional flights.  Therefore I think the connection may be a little tight but you should be able to make it.

As for luggage, it should transfer to the final destination even though the airlines are different.  United will transfer your luggage onto American.

Sorry to hear about what you will have to go through.  My advice is if you do not have to check-in luggage, don't because the connections are so tight.