Not been on here in a while. Notice that not a lot has changed!

Anyway - I'm hoping that someone can help me out here as I'm confused...as per.

I'm flying to Manchester on Sunday but due to times/dates required, I'm going via Atlanta. I've never connected through the States before and over the last couple of days, I've checked a few things online and it seems to me a rather long and convoluted process is involved here.

1. Check in at Toronto for my flight to Atlanta - go through security, get pre-clearance for entry to the States, etc.
2. Arrive in Atlanta
3. Pick up my luggage
4. Check in AGAIN for my flight to Manchester
5. Go through security

Is this right? Any baggage I check in at Pearson doesn't just get transferred straight through? I only have a 1hr 45min layover which doesn't seem enough time to get my bags and go through the rigmarole of checking in and clearing security again.

When we flew international through the US in June our bags went straight through. I'm pretty sure that yours should too.

One more thing... Don't forget to check whether you need an ESTA for the US. (Unless you're a Canadian citizen that is).

Ours didn't get returned to us when we flew to Australia in June. Checked in at YYZ, through US immigration there then picked up bags in Sydney.

Ah yes, ..... because you're flying in on a "domestic" flight (precleared in Canada).

Surely this will depend on the ticketing.
If ticketed as two separate flights, or different airlines not in alliance, then baggage will be returned.
If a through ticketed flight then, as precleared security in Canada, the bags will be transferred.
The airline, or whomever sold the tickets, should be consulted.

Thanks for the replies.

OK - so it looks like my baggage does go straight through...so the nice man at Delta told me when I finally got to talk to someone.

He didn't know about me though. Do I have to re-clear security at Atlanta despite being pre-cleared at Pearson anybody know, or as a Canadian citizen do I just go straight to the next gate for my onward flight? Trying to find this stuff out is a pain in the arse. Especially as Atlanta Airport's website appears to be down.

I'd check to see if there is a transfer desk in the arrival hall.

As you will pre-clear US customs and immigration in Canada you will arrive as if your a domestic flight and exit the plane in the terminal like any domestic flight would, check the board for the next leg and provided it doesn't require you to exit the secure area, you should not have to go through security again. Just walk or run to the next gate depending on how much time you have for the connection.

I've never been to Atlanta but I think it's unlikely Atlanta's domestic gates are in the same building as the International terminal...like most large and hub airports.
However, they usually have a transfer desk, which does permit remaining within the security perimeter, and transfer by shuttle or other means.

If I were the OP I'd check that availability....if the ticket was written as a connecting flight that information should have been given by the issuer. If done (internet) by the OP..... it's his responsibility.

This. I've not connected through Atlanta either, but in other situations hubbing through US airports for onward international travel, the way the bags are dealt with is different to the way the passenger is dealt with.

In most (non-US) airports that deal with a lot of international transfers, international connecting passengers are directed away from customs/immigration before they get there, so everything stays on the "air" side of both immigraiton and security. But because of pre-clearance at Pearson, you'll arrive in the US as a domestic passenger and be tipped out with arriving domestic passengers, so your best bet is to ask for directions to international connections as you arrive on the concourse. Your bags should be checked through, and depending on which concourse you arrive on and depart from, you may have to take the "plane train" that runs between the different concourses. Anything over an hour and a half should be time enough so long as your arrival isn't delayed by too much. Seek help - don't be too proud to play the "clueless tourist" card, it'll likely get you to where you need to be with speed and efficiency!

I have. Bags checked in Toronto, retrieved at destination, same as any other US airport.

IME it is not always consistent. When we fly from Vancouver to Manzanillo on Alaska we have to go via Los Angeles.

On the way south we clear US Customs in Vancouver (even though we are not going to the US). In Los Angeles we wait between planes in the air side lounge so we do not have to go through security again before we get the second flight to Manzanillo. Bags are routed directly to Manzanillo from Vancouver.

Coming back north we get off the plane. We are prevented from entering the air side lounge and have to go through US immigration, then collect our bags and go through US customs, walk 20 yards on the sidewalk in the good old US of A, renter the terminal, check bags, go through security and end up in the air-side lounge we were firmly steered away from when we got off the plane.

I am sure there is a good reason for this but I don't know what it is.

As you've done this transiting Atlanta from the domestic arrival to the international departure.....your information could be very useful to the OP.
The bag-check process has already been covered.

Why not help by offering your information?

That's all I got. When flying internationally on one airline one checks the bags, and gets on the plane in Toronto, there are no further formalities until the destination. Coming back is usually more complicated involving clearing immigration in the US, as JonboyE describes. This is because few airports outside the US have US immigration facilities. This based on my experience which does not include all possible US hubs but does include Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Salt Lake, LAX, Philadelphia Minneapolis, Charlotte and Dallas (probably some others as well but they all look same).

Where it gets more difficult is if the hub is Canada as the regulations for carry on differ between Canada and the rest of the world and the Canadian customs people are dicks about it. Also if the flights are on different airlines there may be a requirement to reclaim the bags and clear immigration a second time at the hub. The Star Alliance airlines were terrible for that but, since one of them is Air Canada, misery is to be expected.

Re; post #14
The question now being asked is...after landing from Toronto and arriving at the domestic arrival in Atlanta.... how to get to the international departure to fly onwards to London...expeditiously. The question of the bags being transferred has already been answered.
Those of us who haven't been to Atlanta are speculating...I thought you said you'd done that.