I am booking a flight through United to go to Croatia. It will be on one ticket, but I will have to change airlines to Croatia Air. Will I need to go through Customs, pick up my luggage, re-check back in with Croatia Airlines, then go through security? Many thanks.
Posted by
Milwaukie, Oregon
1056 posts
If you are booked on a single ticket, your luggage should go through all the way to Croatia. I looked up the airlines affiliated with United and Croatia Air is one of them. When you get to Frankfurt you will need to go through immigration control, but this has nothing to do with your luggage, just with your passport.
Posted by
San Francisco, CA (USA)
488 posts
Patricia is correct. You'll deplane in the int'l section of FRA, once off, go to the board, find where your next flight is. Before going to the Schengen portion of the airport, you'll go through passport control, get stamped and continue on. Your bags will continue through.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Oh great, that's a relief. So I just need to plan a long enough layover time to go through Customs and security. Thanks so much!
Posted by
PA
2739 posts
Actually, if you are traveling US to Croatia through Frankfurt, you will not be going through immigration as Croatia is not in Schengen. You will be routed directly through on an airside connection, you do not retrieve your luggage. Croatia Air is part of the Star Alliance and your luggage will go through for you. We did this last year, albeit with Lufthansa from the US, and with carry-on only. Your Croatia Air flight will be from somewhere in the B gates, not sure where your United will come in, especially as it might actually be on a Lufthansa plane. With any luck you will be on the tarmac and bussed to the terminal, as the bus stop is as close to your B gates as possible. Depending on where you come in, you might not even have to go through security.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Now that would be awesome. Thanks!
Posted by
Germany
268 posts
So I just need to plan a long enough layover time
The airline does that for you buy not selling tickets with a too short layover time. Minimum connection time is usually 45 minutes in Frankfurt, though admittedly, it can be rather stressful if you actually have only 45 minutes.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
We flew United SFO to Frankfurt, connected to Star Alliance partner Lufthansa going to Vienna. Worried in advance about our bags, but when we arrived in Vienna, there they were! We had a 2-hour layover, ample time. Very smooth transfer.