Finally Booked! Now 1st time flyer questions

[kjeanne2001]

Thanks for all your help. I booked a round trip evening flight with United 2 days before my cruise with a little over 2 hour layover in Chicago. The advised me to check in in person for the free checked bags (I signed up for the Explorer card). So my understanding is I don't need to check in on line and should get to the airport earlier to do check in there. Is this correct? Do I need to do anything else before departure date? Any advice/tips for a first time flyer will be appreciated!

 

 

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[kjeanne2001]

I finally booked a round trip flight to Vancouver from Charlotte on United. I have a little over a 2 hour layover in Chicago leaving on Monday evening. I applied for the Explorer card and will get free checked bags. They said to check in at the airport in order to get the free checked bags. I am assuming that I will need to get to the airport earlier to do this and not do the online check in. Is this correct? Is there anything else I need to be doing prior to departure in May? Any advice/tips for flying will be appreciated! Also any flight etiquette I should know about!

[kjeanne2001]

I finally booked a round trip flight from Charlotte to Vancouver on United. This is an afternoon flight that has a about a 2 hour 12 minute layover in Chicago arriving in Vancouver Monday night for a Wednesday cruise in May.

1. I applied for an Explorer card and will get free checked bags. They said to do a check in at the airport. So do I plan to arrive to the airport earlier than planned to do this and I assume I don't do an online check in.

2. Is there anything else I need to do prior to check in?

3. Any travel tips/recommendations or flight etiquette you can share for a first time flyer.

 

Thanks in advance!

[6rugrats]

Thanks for all your help. I booked a round trip evening flight with United 2 days before my cruise with a little over 2 hour layover in Chicago. The advised me to check in in person for the free checked bags (I signed up for the Explorer card). So my understanding is I don't need to check in on line and should get to the airport earlier to do check in there. Is this correct? Do I need to do anything else before departure date? Any advice/tips for a first time flyer will be appreciated!

 

 

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No need to post this three times!

 

No, not correct. I'd never wait to check in until I got to the airport. Check in online 24 hours before your flight departure. It will ask you how many bags you want to check, and if you booked with your Explorer card, you don't need to pay for the cardholder's first checked bag, and you are allowed one free checked bag for one companion who is on your reservation.

 

If you've checked in and printed out your boarding passes in advance, when you get to the airport, look for the line where you drop off your bags (most airports will have this), don't waste time standing in the regular check in line.

 

Check your reservation on a regular basis for flight time changes and equipment changes and don't count on UA to notify you about this.

 

Go to tsa.gov and read the section headed "Traveler Information".

Edited February 9, 2014 by 6rugrats

[6rugrats]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987054

[jsmeeker]

Since it's an international flight, put in your passport information into the reservation if you have not done so already. I am not sure if UA lets you check in on-line for an international flight or not. Maybe they do. I know some other airlines do. So, you could do that, use an electronic boarding pass, and then simply check the bags.

[waterbug123]

3. Any travel tips/recommendations or flight etiquette you can share for a first time flyer.

 

A few thoughts related to flight etiquette:

 

1. You will need to show ID when you check your bags. Have this ready, to avoid holding up those behind you.

2. If there is any question of whether your bag is too big to carry on, go ahead and check it. This will avoid holding up passengers on the plane as you struggle to fit your bag in the overhead, turning it every which way possible to try to squeeze it in.

3. When you go through security, assume that you will not be randomly selected to go through PreCheck, so be prepared to go through the full security rigamarole. Again, this will avoid holding up those behind you. Have laptops and 3-1-1 liquid bags in an easily accessible place in your carry on bag so you don't have to waste time digging for them. Wear slip on shoes, or go ahead and unlace/loosen them while you wait in line. Also while you wait in line: Take your jacket and belt (if it has a metal buckle) off; empty pockets of absolutely everything and stow these pocketed items in your carry on

4. When boarding, look at your boarding pass and know your zone. Wait to line up to board until your specific zone is called.

5. If you have a carry on and a small personal item, stow the personal item under the seat in front of you, rather than trying to put both bags in the overhead. This is a courtesy to other pax who also need to fit their carry on bags overhead.

 

That covers a few of the most common things novice flyers may not think about. :)

[kjeanne2001]

No need to post this three times!

 

No, not correct. I'd never wait to check in until I got to the airport. Check in online 24 hours before your flight departure. It will ask you how many bags you want to check, and if you booked with your Explorer card, you don't need to pay for the cardholder's first checked bag, and you are allowed one free checked bag for one companion who is on your reservation.

 

If you've checked in and printed out your boarding passes in advance, when you get to the airport, look for the line where you drop off your bags (most airports will have this), don't waste time standing in the regular check in line.

 

Check your reservation on a regular basis for flight time changes and equipment changes and don't count on UA to notify you about this.

 

 

 

Go to tsa.gov and read the section headed "Traveler Information".

 

 

I did not intentionally post 3 times and contacted the host about this. While I thought it was my computer that wasn't allowing me to post because it was not showing up, I later realized the forum was having problems. Believe me I was not happy to rewrite this post 3 times, but thanks for your info :)

[6rugrats]

You're welcome. Just be aware that you may not be able to complete online check in as this is an international flight. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. You can enter all your passport information in advance though.

[bouhunter]

If you want there is no reason you can't check-in in person. And yes, getting to a large airport like ORD 2 hours in advance is a good idea.

[thinfool]

You are likely way ahead on this, but you will need a passport for this trip.

 

Nice thing is, your pp is good for ID when you checkin at the airport, even for domestic flights.

[em-sk]

Only thing to add.....

 

Get to the airport early. Depending on the airport your leaving from there can be long lines at security.

 

Depending on the size of the aircraft they will start boarding the aircraft 45-20 minutes before departure. So you want to be in the gate area on time. The departure time in your reservation is the time they want everyone on the aircraft seated, the door closed and ready to push back the aircraft.

 

Two hours should be lots of time to make a connection in Chicago if the airlines are in the same terminal.

 

When you get to Vancouver you will clear Canadian customs on arrival, the process is (1) Passport Check, (2) pickup-bags, (3) hand-in customs card at exist. They handout the customs card on the inbound flight. You should plan to have a pen in your carry on luggage.

 

Going back Vancouver is one of the Canadian airports with US Pre-clearance. You will clear US Customs prior to boarding your flight so you should add a little extra time for that.

[jmgriffin]

I finally booked a round trip flight to Vancouver from Charlotte on United. I have a little over a 2 hour layover in Chicago leaving on Monday evening. I applied for the Explorer card and will get free checked bags. They said to check in at the airport in order to get the free checked bags. I am assuming that I will need to get to the airport earlier to do this and not do the online check in. Is this correct? Is there anything else I need to be doing prior to departure in May? Any advice/tips for flying will be appreciated! Also any flight etiquette I should know about!

 

You should be fine doing the online check-in, you just don't want to necessarily say that you're checking bags online because the system might charge you. And yes, you'll want to get to the airport a little early if you're checking a bag. Note at Charlotte-CLT Airport: "You must check in at least 45 minutes before departure (or 90 minutes if you're traveling internationally)."

[elycelynne]

I have the Explorer card, and even if you do check-in online and say that you're checking baggage, United has it in its records that you're an Explorer card holder and are entitled to one free checked bag (under 50 lbs.) You shouldn't get charged.

[Jridou]

I have the Explorer card, and even if you do check-in online and say that you're checking baggage, United has it in its records that you're an Explorer card holder and are entitled to one free checked bag (under 50 lbs.) You shouldn't get charged.

 

In my experience you only get this bag credit if you PAID for that ticket with the Explorer card. Just having the card doesn't do anything. Even using the card we had some issues at a smaller airport (Durango, CO) and had to pay at the counter, but then United credited us back the $25 plus 5000 miles for the inconvenience.

[kjeanne2001]

Thanks for the heads up about checking flights! I am now checking daily. United changed the times of our flights and also changed planes and even had us not sitting together on some parts on it. Fortunately the times worked out for our benefit leaving home.

 

 

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[UPGrandma]

I have Delta card and because husbands flight has separate reservation number, his check in must be done at the airport so the check in clerk can waive his first bag fee. If you have others flying with you and more than one reservation that is likely why they told you to check in at the airport. I plan to do my check in at home the day before, then do his at airport.