United Unveils New Bag Drop 'Shortcut'

Have you ever questioned the actual benefit of checking in for your flight online 24 hours ahead, only to find yourself waiting in a lengthy line at the airport to re-enter your flight details at a kiosk, followed by another line to drop off your luggage?

United Airlines is tackling this problem with a new 'bag drop shortcut' process that promises to let travelers 'bypass the line and check in their bags in a minute or less on average.'

Recent customer surveys revealed that passengers consider the bag check process one of the most stressful and time-consuming parts of their air travel experience.

Introducing: the shortcut.

This new service is now offered for United flights departing from Chicago, Newark (New Jersey), Washington, D.C., Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

To utilize the new, ideally faster bag drop option, United passengers must check in via the United app and choose the number of bags they wish to check, along with payment. Upon arriving at the airport, they can go to the designated 'bag drop shortcut' area, where they will place their bag on the scale and scan their boarding pass. United staff will verify their ID and attach the bag tag.

After experiencing United’s 'bag drop shortcut' last weekend, Dinogo’s digital content director, Laura Dannen Redman, mentioned that the airline needs to iron out a few issues. 'I still required a United representative to handle the bags, and they didn’t have enough staff available, so we ended up waiting in line,' Redman shared regarding her visit to Denver International Airport.

Despite this, United stated that 'initial customer feedback indicates' the process 'saves our passengers time and effort... by providing a dedicated area for those who only need to drop off their bags.'

United first piloted the new bag drop procedure at Newark Liberty International Airport in August 2021. The airline noted that its success with customers led to a swift expansion of the service to seven United hubs, with plans to introduce it to many more airports this year.

This announcement comes as the airline gears up for a surge in air travel during spring break. With more travelers taking to the skies and overall travel rebounding, United isn’t the only airline exploring ways to optimize the baggage process.

Last month, Delta Air Lines initiated a trial carry-on program on select flights departing from Boston, Orlando, and Tampa, where some Delta passengers will be asked if they’d like to check their carry-on luggage for free, as informed to Dinogo by Delta.

The airline aims to 'better understand how reducing the number of carry-on bags can enhance the customer experience—from the moment they arrive at the airport to boarding the plane.'

We fully support any efforts airlines make to streamline the process and improve convenience for travelers.