HOW IS BAGGAGE HANDLED FROM ROME TO US?

[PoohUnderstands]

We have always cruised back from Europe to the US.  This is the first time flying back.  We will be flying from Rome to Charlotte then to final destination, Denver.  Will I be able to check baggage through to Denver or will I have to get it in Charlotte, go through customs, then recheck baggage?  Or will baggage go through customs when we get to Denver?  I know that usually you must go through customs with baggage at first US stop, but then also read where some airports do US customs at originating airport so baggage can go through to final destination.

Does anyone know who baggage is handled from Rome to Charlotte to final destination?

 

And if I do have to collect luggage in Charlotte, etc., I have a 2 1/2 hour layover.  Will this be enough time, tight I know, but enough time?  Thanks for any input.  

 

Pooh

[CruiserBruce]

You will claim your bags at the first place you touch US soil (Charlotte), go through Customs (and Immigration before you claim your luggage), then re-check your bags on to Denver. There should be a "quick check" desk immediately after Customs.

 

Rome is not a "pre-clearance" airport.

 

2.5 hours should be fine.

[theZsatsea]

I agree with CruiserBruce.  We came back from Rome to CLT and on to CLE on American Airlines iron.  As stated, there will be a luggage drop off right after Customs.  You should have plenty of time but you will have to go back through security.

 

Have a great trip!

Edited November 7, 2019 by theZsatsea
Poor typing skills

[Zach1213]

As an AA frequent flier, I try to re-enter the country in CLT as often as possible. It's the easiest of any AA hubs (by far), and 2.5 hours will be plenty, even with immigration, bag re-claim, customs, bag re-check, and security. Plenty of time left for some Bojangles and a rocking chair.  

Edited November 7, 2019 by Zach1213

[Keith1010]

All that has been said is correct.

 

As to the time if your flight is on time you should be fine.

 

But no one can guarantee whether or not there is a delay which is why most people say "should' be OK in their response.

 

I just want to highlight that when you go through the security check again at Charlotte since it is a USA check be sure you have carry on liquids in a 3-2-1 bag as you will go through the same check as you would as if you first arrived to a USA airport to check in for a flight.

 

Have a wonderful time on the cruise.

 

Keith

 

 

[waterbug123]

18 hours ago, PoohUnderstands said:

  I know that usually you must go through customs with baggage at first US stop, but then also read where some airports do US customs at originating airport so baggage can go through to final destination.

Does anyone know who baggage is handled from Rome to Charlotte to final destination?

 

 

Your question has already been answered, but to clarify the part about pre-clearance at originating airport:

Yes, there are some foreign airports in the world where the US has set up pre-clearance of immigration/customs so you don't go through that upon landing in the US; your flight then lands in the US and is treated as a domestic flight where you simply get off the plane and head to your next gate without going through I/C or security.  Rome is not one of those places though, nor are any airports in Europe outside of Ireland.  

Pre-clearance is only available at the following:

-most large, international airports (but not all of them) in Canada

-Dublin and Shannon in Ireland

-Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas; Aruba; Bermuda

-Abu Dhabi in the UAE

 

[Tapi]

As an additional note, give yourself extra time in Rome for check-in. While you don’t pre-clear US immigration and customs there, you do go through an additional passport screening checkpoint for outbound passengers which can be very time consuming. We spent the vast majority of our checking in time standing in line there. We arrived at the airport 2.5 hours before departure and we made it to the gate about 35 minutes before departure. 

Edited November 8, 2019 by Tapi

[PoohUnderstands]

Thank you everybody!  What wonderful concise information you have given me.  I will make sure I am on the earliest Princess transfer bus that they have when we disembark, Tapi.  Thanks for the heads up.

 

Pooh

[Hezu]

And in case the flights have not been yet reserved: if the routing of the ticket between Rome and Denver would include a stop in Europe then it should be possible to check the baggage to the final destination.

[CruiserBruce]

26 minutes ago, Hezu said:

And in case the flights have not been yet reserved: if the routing of the ticket between Rome and Denver would include a stop in Europe then it should be possible to check the baggage to the final destination.

That would depend on which airport. As explained in post #6 above, that only applies to a couple of European airports. But some of the biggest airports...LHR, FRA CDG, for example, you would NOT be able to check your bag to your final destination in the US. You would still need to claim your luggage at the first touch of US soil, clear Customs, then re-check to your final destination.

[FlyerTalker]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

That would depend on which airport. As explained in post #6 above, that only applies to a couple of European airports. But some of the biggest airports...LHR, FRA CDG, for example, you would NOT be able to check your bag to your final destination in the US. You would still need to claim your luggage at the first touch of US soil, clear Customs, then re-check to your final destination.

 

To be really technical, your bag IS checked through to the final destination. (Note the final destination on the printed luggage tag).  However, that does not mean that you never touch your bag.

 

At the first point of entry to the USA, both passengers and luggage go through CBP processing.  You have to physically retrieve your bag, take it through the customs point, and then re-deposit it at the bag drop point.  The bag is already tagged to the final destination, but you still have to claim it for formalities.

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

To be really technical, your bag IS checked through to the final destination. (Note the final destination on the printed luggage tag).  However, that does not mean that you never touch your bag.

 

At the first point of entry to the USA, both passengers and luggage go through CBP processing.  You have to physically retrieve your bag, take it through the customs point, and then re-deposit it at the bag drop point.  The bag is already tagged to the final destination, but you still have to claim it for formalities.

I agree you are technically correct. I just would be concerned that some take that phrase "checked through to your final destination" too literally, and won't correctly go through the process. In the case of Hezu above, their statement was very vague as to who had to claim and recheck, and who didn't. That is very confusing to people who haven't traveled extensively in and out of the country.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

I agree you are technically correct. I just would be concerned that some take that phrase "checked through to your final destination" too literally, and won't correctly go through the process. In the case of Hezu above, their statement was very vague as to who had to claim and recheck, and who didn't. That is very confusing to people who haven't traveled extensively in and out of the country.

 

My concern is properly distinguishing between a simple "bag drop" of luggage with final destination tags after passing out of the secure customs areas and the very different process of having to take your luggage from the customs area all the way to the check-in desks and going through a full check-in once again.

 

Big difference, and one that needs to be recognized.

[dogs4fun]

On 11/7/2019 at 10:25 AM, PoohUnderstands said:

We will be flying from Rome to Charlotte then to final destination, Denver.  Will I be able to check baggage through to Denver or will I have to get it in Charlotte, go through customs, then recheck baggage?  Or will baggage go through customs when we get to Denver? 

We live also live in DEN and frequently fly to CLT to visit relatives. Although our numerous international flights have never connected through CLT, CLT is a (relatively) small airport and 2.5 hours will allow more than ample time. 

You will clear customs in CLT.

[hallux]

On 11/8/2019 at 7:24 PM, CruiserBruce said:

I just would be concerned that some take that phrase "checked through to your final destination" too literally, and won't correctly go through the process

A properly designed airport would make that quite difficult.  My experience with international flights has been at ORD.  In that airport you have no option but to go through the C/I area, where you get directed to the carousel carrying your luggage then out to the bag drop.  How it can be screwed up is a mystery to me...

[gidgetplp]

This is valuable information.  I will be arriving in Rome via Celebrity Constellation at 5 a.m.   My flight home is scheduled for 10:50 a.m.  Although Celebrity Air told me this flight is “fine”, I am concerned if I am allowing enough time, getting off ship, getting transfer to a/p, going thru check-in and standing in passport screening check which can be extensive.  The next flight out of Rome to Pittsburgh is at 1:30 p.m.  Any advice???

[Zach1213]

9 hours ago, gidgetplp said:

This is valuable information.  I will be arriving in Rome via Celebrity Constellation at 5 a.m.   My flight home is scheduled for 10:50 a.m.  Although Celebrity Air told me this flight is “fine”, I am concerned if I am allowing enough time, getting off ship, getting transfer to a/p, going thru check-in and standing in passport screening check which can be extensive.  The next flight out of Rome to Pittsburgh is at 1:30 p.m.  Any advice???

 

Considering there is no Rome to Pittsburgh flights at all, you are certainly stopping somewhere...and that somewhere is key. I don't have any specifics about getting from the port to FCO airport (assuming that's even the airport you are leaving out of, as there are two Rome airports, though the odds of you traveling out of Ciampino are small as only Ryanair and Wizz fly there these days), but I do know FCO can be slow as hell. It is Italy, after all 🙂 . 

 

The difference is that you can cut it a bit closer, usually, if your first flight is within Schengen...places like Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Madrid, Paris, etc. where you don't need to worry about immigration checks. If your first flight is outside of Schengen (London, anywhere in the US, Canada), then you do need to worry about immigration checks and the additional time. So, this is really critical. 

Edited November 13, 2019 by Zach1213

[CruiserBruce]

10 hours ago, gidgetplp said:

This is valuable information.  I will be arriving in Rome via Celebrity Constellation at 5 a.m.   My flight home is scheduled for 10:50 a.m.  Although Celebrity Air told me this flight is “fine”, I am concerned if I am allowing enough time, getting off ship, getting transfer to a/p, going thru check-in and standing in passport screening check which can be extensive.  The next flight out of Rome to Pittsburgh is at 1:30 p.m.  Any advice???

This is discussed almost daily on the Italy board, as it is more a ground logistics issue. 10:30 is commonly recommended as the earliest flight that goes non-stop to a US airport, and it order to do that, you need to be off the ship as early as possible, and have ground transport lined up.

 

If you are stopping in another European airport, that first flight becomes essentially a domestic flight, and you have a little less time issue.

[Tapi]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

10:30 is commonly recommended as the earliest flight that goes non-stop to a US airport

If we’d booked a 10:30am flight, we would’ve, without a doubt, missed our nonstop flight back to Atlanta. We were first off the ship, with self assist debarkation and a private car, and we made it to the gate 30 minutes before our 11:25am departure.