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I'm considering two Miami - Zürich flights, which connect at New York. Both start MIA - JFK, but one continues with JFK - ZRH and the other with LGA - ZRH.

If I check my luggage at Miami, and take a cab from JFK to LGA, will I have to carry my bags and re-check them at LGA, or does the airline do this?

The cost difference (two people) is ~120 USD total. How much is the taxi, normally? Is an airport change worth the hassle?

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    As a general rule, if you have to change airports, the transfer is your responsibility, and you have to take your luggage with you
    – Gagravarr
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 12:34
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    Much better question is how did you come up with a direct flight from LaGuardia to Zurich?
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 13:13
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    Definitely not worth the hassle, I'd say.
    – Michael Borgwardt
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 13:19
  • @Karlson: Indeed. As far as I know, LaGuardia has no overseas flights at all. (In any case, it would only be allowed to operate on Saturdays!) I think maybe the OP has got it backwards.
    – Nate Eldredge
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 16:39
  • @NateEldredge Technically it may be possible with Boeing 757 but I don't see any departures across the Pond. Why Saturday?
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 16:57

2 Answers 2

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For the life of me I could not come up with a single itinerary that will fly Miami to JFK then LaGuardia to Zurich.

So if this is the case there are 2 different itineraries in play then you will need to collect your luggage and re-check it at the next airport to your final destination, which has been discussed in many forms on this site already:

So if you need to transfer from airport to airport you will have to collect your luggage. Carry it to the Taxi $35-$50 + tip and at least an hour of your time then checking it for your next connection and so on.

Personally while $70 is not chump change is it really worth about 2 hours of your time?

ADDITIONAL INFO

Just found a way to create a connection with an airport transfer. There is also a rule listed in US-Canada Domestic Rules 205AA A.3.e which states:

Baggage will not be checked beyond a point at which the passenger is to transfer to a connecting flight, if that flight is scheduled to depart from an airport different from the one at which the passenger is scheduled to arrive.

So you will definitely have to pick it up. Hump it to a taxi then check it back in at the other airport and continue. Personally I prefer convenience.

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  • It is a single itinerary, though :) ZRH - MVD - MIA - ZRH, staying ~1 week in MVD and MIA. I get the airport change through LGA (or EWR) in the MIA - ZRH part.
    – ggambetta
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 20:01
  • @ggambett That's not a single itinerary/reservation that's multiple itineraries as far as airline is concerned. If you bought it as one it doesn't imply a single Reservation for the airline. If you Look at your reservation on the airline site it will list your connecting airports.
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 20:21
  • Maybe I have the wrong idea of what a Reservation and an Itinerary are. I found this airport change when booking a multi-city trip in the AA website.
    – ggambetta
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 21:37
  • @ggambett Now it makes more sense I am amending my answer as well.
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 21:46
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When you fly from the US to Europe, the bag could be checked through to its final destination except if you have an airport change e.g. from LGA to JFK or EWR. If you have an airport change, then the baggage label / ticket is not for the final destination.

It is generally not worth doing an airport change. First you have to pick your luggage up and then you are at the mercy of traffic and other problems.

When you fly from Europe back to the US, you'd have to pick your luggage up anyway in the first port of arrival to then recheck it. The label on the bag would already be the right one to Miami in your case except if you change airports (e.g. from JFK to LGA).

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    When you fly from the US to Europe, the bag is always checked through to its final destination - Not necessarily true even without the airport change.
    – Karlson
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 13:41
  • Yes good point, I should say that the bag can be checked through and it's usually the case
    – David Brossard
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 22:20

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