OREANDA-NEWS. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is bringing its popular Early Bag Check service to the Rental Car Center. The free service, already available at Sky Harbor's East Economy Parking and 44th Street PHX Sky Train® station, officially launched this week. Travelers flying American Airlines, Southwest Airlines or US Airways can now check their luggage immediately after returning their rental car, avoiding the hassle of carrying large suitcases onto a shuttle bus and into the airport terminal. Bags must be checked at least 90 minutes before the scheduled flight departure. There is no additional charge for the service, although airline baggage fees apply.

Sky Harbor's Early Bag Check has already processed more than 100,000 pieces of luggage at East Economy Parking and the 44th Street PHX Sky Train® Station since the service began in late 2012. “We have received tremendous feedback from travelers who have used our Early Bag Check service and we felt it was important to offer this amenity to our rental car customers,” said Steve Grubbs, Acting Deputy Aviation Director for Operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor. “At the end of a vacation or a business trip, we want passengers to have the convenience of checking their luggage early and walking directly to the security checkpoint.”

In addition to checking bags, customers on American, Southwest and US Airways can also have a boarding pass printed at the Early Bag Check Counters. The service is conveniently located near the north and south exits on the customer service level at the Rental Car Center. Customers will walk past the Early Bag Check counters as they exit the Rental Car Center on the way to their shuttles. Early Bag Check in the Sky Harbor Rental Car Center will be open daily from 5 a.m. - 6 p.m.