ORD Quandry
 

Hello all, I have a question regarding the luggage and check-in process at O'Hare. I've flown through there many times, but this time I have 2 different tickets for my journey instead of just one. I had to do this because my company is only reimbursing me for part of the trip.

Anyways, I fly from CWA to ORD and arrive around 8pm. My flight to SFO leaves at 7am the next morning, so I have lots of time. The flight from CWA to ORD is with AA and the trip from ORD to SFO (and then to ICN) is through United. The complication I foresee is dealing with my checked bag. Must I retrieve it from the baggage claim at ORD, then go out and re-check it at ticketing? Or is there some way around it? Further, if I have the e-ticket and checked-in online I don't need to check-in with the ticketing desk, correct?

Just trying to plan out the logistics of this before the day of. What should my sequence of events be? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

You will need to claim your bag, go out to the ticket counter, recheck it, and go back through security. I don't understand the rest of your question.

This is a situation that could be improved enormously if you could do carryon only, though you do have vast amounts of time. I hope you are young because spending the night at ORD will be interminable.

Before I did anything when I checked IN I would ask the check in agent for American if they have a luggage agreement with United (they do) and if you can route the luggage from American to United at ORD (you would simply have to show the check-in agent your ongoing reservation on United).

The worst they can say is no.

If you're arriving at 8 p.m. and leaving at 7 a.m. (domestic), wouldn't it make sense to spend the night in an airport hotel?

And have your luggage with you?

As Dukey said, you can ask if they will check it through to SFO (and ICN).

If not, yes you will have to retrieve it from baggage claim then recheck it. You can either go to the ticketing desk or go outside and check it with a skycap.

You don't need to check yourself in at the ticketing desk if you've already checked your bag and checked in online (and have a boarding pass in hand).

I'd take care of the bag that first night and then go get a room for the overnight. Waiting til morning to recheck would just mean you'd have to get up earlier and have potential delays at the desk waiting to recheck the bag. You have plenty of time to do it the night before and lines at the ticketing desk at 8pm will almost certainly be shorter than in the morning.

Thank you all for the advice! I feel much better going into it now. I'm going one way (moving) which is why I have extra baggage. Usually I travel light. Luckily I'm somewhat young (in relative sense, I guess) so staying up at ORD will be alright, unless I spot a good deal on a room around there. Anyways, thank you once again!