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As airports and airlines try to innovate, one feature is becoming more widely available to travelers: the ability to remotely check bags before stepping foot inside an airport.

During the bag check process, passengers can check in for their flights and get a boarding pass while leaving their luggage at the mobile kiosk.

Bags, Inc. Provides remote check-in for travelers at various locations including airports, hotels, convention centers, parking areas, rental car areas, and cruise ships.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced that its remote airline check-in service, Bags Inc. is the latest airport to launch in partnership with, but the service is available at five other airports from December 10:

• Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
• Charleston International Airport (CHS)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)

You must fly domestically to this airport on one of the eight participating airlines. Carriers include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines. Airline availability varies by airport.

The service is free, but airline baggage fees still apply as they would when checking a bag curbside or inside with the airline.

Generally, bags must be checked in during operating hours, at least 90 minutes before flight departure.

Here’s what you need to know about remote check-in by location.

San Francisco International Airport

The airport offers Remote airline check-in service For those on domestic Alaska, American, Delta and JetBlue flights.

At SFO, travelers can remotely check their bags on Level 5 of the airport’s long-term parking garage or Level 1 of the Rental Car Center. From each location, passengers can connect to the airport terminal by airtrain.

Remote airline check-in is available at SFO from 4am to 8pm daily.

Harry Reid International Airport

Curbside Concierge at LAS Located opposite the Rent-A-Car Center in the remote lot of the airport and on the departure curb in Terminal 3. It is Thursday to Monday from 4 am to 2:30 pm in the Rent-A-Car Center and from 4 am to 12 pm in Terminal 3.

Currently, it is limited to domestic flyers on American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and United.

You must check your bag at least 90 minutes before your flight’s departure time.

Charleston International Airport

Charleston Check ‘n Go There is a free bag check program for domestic flights. It is located in the rental car center in the airport’s daily parking garage and curbside in the terminal.

Parking garage hours are 3:30 am to 7 pm and 3:30 am to 10 pm.

“80% of passengers standing in check-in lines want to drop a bag, and being able to eliminate that with CHS Check N Go makes for a better passenger experience,” Charleston International Airport CEO Elliot Sumey said via email.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Airline baggage check-in Park is available at MSY in the MSY Express Economy Parking Garage at 800 Airline Dr.

The service is available to American, Delta, United, and Spirit passengers daily from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.

William P. Hobby Airport

Check out the en fly baggage check-in service Available 24/7 at HOU for US American and Delta flights.

Travelers who valet at valet parking can use this service, as long as they check in their bags at least one hour before their flight.

Tampa International Airport

At TPA, you can check in remotely at the rental car center/multi-modal facility or curbside. Both are connected to the airport via the SkyConnect train.

Check the remote bag Hours are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Airport Wallet

In addition to its remote check-in service, Bags, Inc. Also offers valet services for travelers. With Metropolis Valet Operator, travelers can park their car, check in for their flights, check their bags and get boarding passes.

Valet is currently available at HOU, San Antonio International Airport (SAT), Appleton International Airport (ATW) and Portland International Airport (PDX).

Port Valet

Remote check-in service for cruise ships is available at cruise ports at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Miami International Airport (MIA) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

for example, JetBlue offers onboard cruise ship check-in For travelers docking at Port Canaveral and flying out of the MCO; It offers the same for those docking at Port Everglades and Port of Miami and catching flights out of FLL.

This is also the case For Alaska, American, Delta, Horizon, Southwest and United flights departing from the Port of Seattle after 12 p.m. from SEA, cruise goers who sign up for this will receive their boarding passes and luggage tags on the final night of the cruise.

“Customers leave bags the night before disembarking outside the cruise ship estate room and do not see the bag again at the Davao Carousel until their home airport,” a Baggs spokesperson said via email. “Bags handles all the logistics from the ship to the airport.”

Upon arrival at SEA, Bags will check your luggage to your final destination, but you can also track your bag. Online.

The bottom line

While reservations are not required to use remote check-in, some airport parking requires advance booking. Be sure to double check the entry requirements at your airport.

Remote airline check-in can help you save time at the airport this holiday season and beyond. better? It is free.

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