United Airlines debuts genius new ‘Twilight’ baggage drop … but only for certain passengers

Early morning flights just got less stressful for United passengers.  

United Airlines introduced a new luggage service they’re calling the ‘Twilight’ baggage drop, allowing passengers to check their bags the evening before they fly.

That means they can head straight to security when they return to the airport the next morning.

‘Fly through the airport in the morning without stressing about bag drop, just head straight to security,’ the airline said in an email to eligible customers.

But not every United Airlines customer can take advantage of the perk.  

This offering is currently available only at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and follows several months of testing.

Additionally, the service is available only to United passengers flying out between 5 am and 9 am, and travelers must drop their luggage at the airport between 6 pm and 9 pm the night before. 

United says the program is designed to help make the airport’s chaotic morning rush less hectic, while giving passengers a smoother start to their journey. 

It’s also especially timely for the holiday weekend as passengers flocked to the airport for July 4. 

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) anticipated more than 1.6 million fliers traveling through O’Hare from July 1 to July 6. That’s an 8.1 percent increase in passenger traffic from the same period the year prior. 

But for some, making two trips to the airport instead of one isn’t a time saver. 

‘No way would I want to drive there twice,’ one Instagram user wrote. ‘Once is enough of a hassle. That’s the worst congested area.’ 

Another chimed in, adding that there’s a major flaw with this new perk: ‘The issue is that you’re not allowed to park your car on the arrival road and get out to do this. It’s drop-offs only.’

Twilight Bag Drop is a concept already in place at several international airports, particularly in Europe and Australia, where travelers with early departures can check their luggage the night before. 

United is now among the first major US airlines to slowly introduce the idea stateside – although the company has not said when, or if, Twilight Bag Drop will expand to other airports.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport is a major hub for both American Airlines and United Airlines. 

According to USA Today, the airline has reportedly processed around 1,600 bags in the trial phase, with the official rollout timed to coincide with one of the busiest holiday travel periods of the year.

For some fliers, Twilight Bag Drop is a long-overdue offering. One Instagram comment said, ‘so many global airports offer bag drop 24 hours before your flight. It’s the least they could do. Baggage cut-off times are a beast.’

‘This is a great option for families with small children,’ another added. ‘Or a single parent traveling with multiple small kids, amazing! Managing small kids and multiple bags is so stressful. I definitely see value in this!’

United remains one of the world’s biggest airline carriers, flying 175 million people to more than 350 destinations across six continents.