Since my husband and I travel carry-on only, we have only had to deal with baggage carousels upon re-entering the US when we have had to gate check our bags. Then we've gone through customs and immigration and security to get to our connecting flight. This fall we are taking an Alaskan Inner Passage cruise. We are flying out from Indianapolis to Vancouver, with a connection in Denver, and then reversing that route for our return. It is my understanding that we will go through US customs in Vancouver before our return flight. Does that mean that we will not have to pick up our luggage in Denver and go through security if we decide to check it through to Indianapolis in Vancouver? It is likely that we will have heavier bags coming home than when we leave for our trip. I wish I had paid more attention in Shannon, Ireland when we flew home through Boston several years ago. . . . .
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
3993 posts
You will arrive in Denver as if you were flying a domestic flight. Your bag should be checked through to Indianapolis when you check it in Vancouver. Double check the tag before they woosh it off.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5814 posts
According to this it says check with your airline. On another page it said, "it may not be necessary to pick up your bags."
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
47 posts
That is correct; you will not have to pick up and recheck your bags in Denver. I fly frequently between Vancouver and the US and have never had to retrieve and then recheck my bags while connecting in the US.
Make sure, however, that you leave enough time to go through customs in Vancouver; the lines can be long. (If you have a Nexus or Global Entry card, the lines are much shorter.)
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
10132 posts
FYI- You will go through passport control to enter Canada at the airport and then passport control to enter the US at the port just prior to embarkation. On return, you will enter Canada at the port and enter US at airport.
Posted by
Freedonia
18871 posts
After you go through passport control and customs at Vancourver on your return, you have technically been admitted to the US and the gate area is considered US territory. (It's still Canada but is also US territory for your sake.) Thus, your flight is like a domestic flight in the US. No need to pickup your checked bags. Just make sure they are tagged for Indianapolis.
As a side note, if you decided not to take the flight after US passposrt control and wanted to stay in Canada, you would now have to go through Canadian Passport Control ro re-enter Canada.
Posted by
NY
626 posts
Allan's link above is for those making connections at YVR.
If I read the post correctly, the OP's return itinerary will be Vancouver > Denver > Indianapolis -- so they will be starting and not connecting in YVR, so the process is different.
I concur with those posters who say you will arrive in DEN as if you arrived from a (US) domestic flight -- baggage will be transferred automatically, no passport control/customs, no security re-screening.
Posted by
OP
Midwest
99 posts
Thank you all for responding. Carol now retired, your message was really clarifying. I wasn't thinking that one customs booth was at the port and one was at the airport. We do have Global Entry and have at least 3 hours before our flight home after arriving at the airport, so I am not anticipating any issues. That being said "fore-warned is fore-armed." Maybe we'll even be courageous and check our bag through to Vancouver on our outbound flight. . . . .
Posted by
Freedonia
18871 posts
Maybe we'll even be courageous and check our bag through to Vancouver on our outbound flight.
How much time do you have between arriving in Vancouver and departing on the cruise?
If your bag gets lost, you may not see it at all during the cruise itself as it may be difficult to catch up with the ship.
If you do decide to do this, split your belongings up between the bags so if one bag gets lost, you won't lose everything.
Posted by
Western Canada
4164 posts
Just wondering if you are arriving the day, or days, before your cruise in order to safely have time to catch your ship?
And, also for catching your plane home.
If not, be sure to leave plenty of time arriving and departing.
Not sure what your dates are, but cruise season is very busy here and add to that all the FIFA fans arriving.
Posted by
OP
Midwest
99 posts
We should miss the FIFA traffic as we are traveling in September. We are arriving in Vancouver 2 days early. We probably won't check a bag on the outbound flight; I was just musing. After reading everyone's responses and double checking port arrival times, etc., we have decided to change our return flight to a later one to be sure to have time for both immigration lines--plus we'll be able to have breakfast on the ship.