Skipping the last legs of the international journey

[epixx]

Returning on a round trip ticket from BCN to PHL via EWR on United, is it possible with checked luggage to exit the airport in EWR and skip the flights from EWR to PHL? I have read this is not possible at some airports, such as IAD.

[Talisker92]

I am making a guess, but since EWR is your airport of entry, you have to claim your bags and go through customs and immigration.

So, instead of loading your bags for the EWR to PHL flight, you just walk out the door.

[Zach1213]

It's possible at Newark, Dulles, and any other airport where you're clearing immigration in the US, because you need to claim your bags for customs checks. Usually you then hand it right back to the airline, but you CAN just walk out with it.

 

Two issues are that you may forfeit your mileage gain as a result, and the airline CAN charge you the difference if they believe you left at Newark because it was cheaper to book to Philly. Odds are that won't happen the first time you do it...but it can.

[epixx]

I'm referring to the fact that at IAD, passengers might clear customs at the C Gates rather than at the main terminal, which would preclude exiting with checked luggage. From the IAD website:

 

 

We have two U.S. Customs and Border Protection locations: The International Arrivals Building (IAB) in the Main Terminal and a Transfer facility in the C-Gates.

 

• All International passengers whose destination is Washington will board a mobile lounge and ride to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs. Click here for a printable diagram. If someone is meeting your arrival, he/she can wait for you on the Arrivals (baggage claim) level near the carousel #15 sign.
  
• In general, International passengers arriving in the C-Gates who are connecting to another flight will be directed from the gate to U.S. Customs in the C-Gates. Some connecting passengers may be directed to the IAB depending on the time of day or your airline's procedures. Click here for a printable diagram.
  
• International passengers arriving in the A or B-gates who are connecting to another flight will board a mobile lounge to U.S. Customs in the C-Gates or to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs, depending on their airline's procedures.
  
• Note: International passengers arriving from select countries may have already pre-cleared U.S. Customs at the point of departure. Through this system, travelers are treated as domestic passengers upon arrival and will deplane directly into the Concourse. From there passengers can go directly to their connecting flight or to the Main Terminal and exit the airport.
  

[Globaliser]

• All International passengers whose destination is Washington will board a mobile lounge and ride to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) at the Main Terminal to clear U.S. Customs.

Then the key would seem to me to be to make yourself a passenger whose destination is Washington. That would involve persuading the airline to short-check your bag to IAD. But you'd have to get specialist advice on whether your airline will allow you to do this.

 

I say this because my most common airline (BA) seems to be implementing stricter rules about short-checking bags where the request would enable the passenger to skip the last sector of the ticket. And I've recently seen a suggestion that CX is becoming very strict about this.

 

If your actual routing is via EWR, then you'll also need specific advice about the layout and procedures at EWR.

 

I don't know what would happen in this scenario on UA, but it could replicate something that works on BA: buy the return ticket so that you fly BCN-EWR and then LGA-PHL (or JFK-PHL). It may be that in this situation, if you wanted to fly to PHL you'd have no alternative but to take your bags out of the airport yourself. If so, the airport will be set up to let you do so. Strangely, you might then find yourself lost on the PATH, or your cab driver may get held up by the Men In Black.

[greatam]

If the OP wants to get off at EWR and NOT continue on to PHL, I can't really see any way this COULD NOT be accomplished. You go through immigration, pickup your luggage, and go through Customs. Then you are on your own to RECHECK your bags for the continuing flight to PHL.

 

Just walk out the door. No one is chasing you down to recheck your bags. And if they do (VERY, VERY DOUBTFUL, how would they even know who you are or where you are going-they don't tell the airline at Customs that you are on a continuing flight and the line can be very long rechecking bags onto continuing flights). Tell them you are going outside for a smoke before you get on the next plane. And will check your bags curbside or in the terminal.

 

When I used to smoke, I did this frequently for a few years at JFK when I could get a cheaper RT ticket with a connection through ORD or DFW (end destination PHX) but I can have my truck drivers bring me back to my AZ office which is very fun. Or I would get a cheapo one way ticket to either Kansas City or PHX WHEN I needed to go at about the same price as I had with that JFK connection. I only wanted to go to JFK (I have an office in the Bronx). Just walk out the door. Heck, they don't even check luggage tags anymore. Believe me, NO ONE is going to even know who you are or where you are going.

Edited May 21, 2014 by greatam

[6rugrats]

UA will not allow you to short check bags.

[UKBayern]

I am making a guess, but since EWR is your airport of entry, you have to claim your bags and go through customs and immigration.

So, instead of loading your bags for the EWR to PHL flight, you just walk out the door.

 

And does the passenger have a boarding pass for the next flight? If so, he is causing a huge delay of the aircraft by going no show at the gate....

[Zach1213]

And does the passenger have a boarding pass for the next flight? If so, he is causing a huge delay of the aircraft by going no show at the gate....

 

I wouldn't say he's really causing a huge delay. The airline can see that he didn't re-check the bag (it won't be scanned back in to the system when he drops it back off after customs), and at 10-15 minutes before departure, any no-shows are, in fact, considered no-shows and their seats given away. This happens on seemingly every flight these days - people don't, for whatever reason, show up at the gate in time to board, and standbys get on. Slight delay maybe, but still a decent chance of leaving on-time.

[FlyerTalker]

The airline can see that he didn't re-check the bag (it won't be scanned back in to the system when he drops it back off after customs)

This is the one drawback to hidden city on international runs. The lack of re-check is a verifiable red-flag that the pax has deliberately skipped the last leg, not just gotten lost or whatever. He could have dropped at re-check but didn't. Now, if they wish, the airline is in a stronger position to charge-back for any fare differential or deny miles or close an account. At least that's how I see it, from an admittedly pessimistic perspective.

[Ms Understood]

We just did this at JFK on flight from LHR to LAX without problems or repercussions. My sister had an unexpected situation in NY that need to be addressed so she left at JFK with her luggage. The other three of us boarded the flight to LAX and no one even asked where she was or if she was coming and her seat remained empty on the flight which left on time. Of course having said all that I quite agree with the signature that says the plural of anecdote is not data.

----------------------

Helen

[Zach1213]

We just did this at JFK on flight from LHR to LAX without problems or repercussions. My sister had an unexpected situation in NY that need to be addressed so she left at JFK with her luggage. The other three of us boarded the flight to LAX and no one even asked where she was or if she was coming and her seat remained empty on the flight which left on time. Of course having said all that I quite agree with the signature that says the plural of anecdote is not data.

----------------------

Helen

 

Were all of you booked on the same ticket? That is - same reservation, same confirmation number, etc.?

[Ms Understood]

Were all of you booked on the same ticket? That is - same reservation, same confirmation number, etc.?

 

Actually no. The one who left was on the same reservation as the sister who now had an empty seat. The other 2 of us were on separate res #s. Did that make a difference? I thought about telling the staff in the Lounge at JFK that one of us would not be getting on the flight to LAX but ultimately decided to just let it go.

[Zach1213]

Actually no. The one who left was on the same reservation as the sister who now had an empty seat. The other 2 of us were on separate res #s. Did that make a difference? I thought about telling the staff in the Lounge at JFK that one of us would not be getting on the flight to LAX but ultimately decided to just let it go.

 

I was more getting at that if the person who left was on their own reservation, the airline would have zero way to know that you all were together. But it appears that's not the case.

[grandma*knows*best]

I did this once at IAD - no problem.

[nolatravelgirl]

EWR is not a problem as you can just walk out. It can be done at IAD as well, though it is huge PITA. I had an award ticket and at the time UAL would not allow changes to awards once the award began and needed to end my ticket in IAD due to a work commitment. I went to the transfer desk and explained my situation. I couldn't just walk out with my bags though the transfer desk agent had to retag my bag and send it to domestic claim. It took about 2 hours to finally get my bag back in IAD.

[Globaliser]

I did this once at IAD - no problem.

How long ago was that, and on which airline?

 

There was a time when it would have been no problem with any airline, as all international arrivals were sent to the IAB. But since the opening of the facility in the midfield concourse, it's not so easy for some airlines on some itineraries, as the quote in epixx's post and nolatravelgirl's account both show.