If you’ve traveled much via air travel, you’re likely pretty familiar with the numerous requirements for checking a bag at the airport and bringing items on the plane. But you might not know what happens to your bag once it arrives at your destination. Each checked bag has to get from the plane to the baggage claim carousel, where you can pick it up and wheel it away. Airlines used to have security personnel at multiple steps within this process, but they’ve streamlined, especially on the receiving end.

Security workers are no longer used to evaluate bags after they arrive because they have gone through so many steps to even get on the plane. Once the airline takes possession of your bag and clears it, having additional security workers to check it again isn’t necessary.

There are a few steps that you can take to make things super smooth as you get ready to board the plane. Understanding the ins and outs of the security process, especially if you’re packing and checking a bag, is key.

What to Expect When You Check a Bag

Security needs to give bags the okay to get on the plane.

• Checking In At The Counter- Arriving at the airport generally requires a stop by the check-in counter. Even if you’ve checked in online but still need to get your bags, you’ll need to go to the counter to drop them off. Once you get there, you’ll need to show your ID and provide basic information about your trip. The airline employee at the counter is responsible for receiving your bag and getting it on its way.

• Weight Limits - While not strictly a security measure, there are weight limits on how heavy your bag can be in order to take it on the plane. Some airlines allow you to check overweight bags for a fee, but there is typically a cut-off. The reason for this is to correctly balance the weight of the plane. It’s best to pack with this in mind or weigh your bag ahead of time using a weight scale if you think it might be close.

• Gate Checking Bags - If the plane is very full, you might be required to check larger carry on bags at the gate. This luggage isn’t required to go back through the normal security process for checked bags. Instead, it is cleared by TSA employees along with everything else that you’re carrying to get to the gate. All luggage has to go through an x-ray machine and be screened for explosives before it is allowed onto the plane. Bags that you check at the gate have already been cleared.

Airport Security Requirements

The airport puts you and your bag through various security checkpoints before it is cleared for the plane.

• Routine Screenings - After you check a bag, it gets screened by TSA agents before it is transported onto the plane. This is usually done with sensors and technology, but it’s possible that TSA will need to physically check your bag. If it is locked, TSA may need to cut the lock to get into your bag. The exact protocols and detection methods are not shared with the general public, but know that every bag is thoroughly screened for safety.

• Accessing Bags At The Airport - One of the main reasons that security screenings are not required once the bag reaches its destination is that all luggage is kept under controlled access during the entire time at the airport. TSA handles the screening process but the airport has secure areas and protocols to keep everything during transit. This means that you won’t have access to your bag once you officially check it in. You’ll get a claim ticket that matches your bag to help track where it is and to serve as a receipt.

Picking Up Your Checked Bag

What happens to your bag at security at your destination?

• Getting Bags Off The Plane - Airport personnel are responsible for getting baggage off the plane and onto a luggage transporter. You can often see this happening through the windows while waiting at the gate. They have to work quickly to get all of the bags off the plane and through processing. You won’t be able to get your checked bags until after they are offloaded by official employees.

• Picking Luggage Up At Baggage Claim - At baggage claims, luggage is placed on a conveyor belt and sent out to waiting passengers. This is where you might think that a final security sweep is done. But it isn’t necessary because these bags have already been cleared and been kept in secure areas during travel. Once luggage comes through the divider separating the secure area from the rest of baggage claim, you are free to pick up your bag. Cargo and oversized items are typically brought to a separate office nearby. If your bag is lost or damaged, you can also stop by this office to get help.

Getting through airport security with checked luggage can be simple when you know what to expect and what security measures will require your time and attention. It’s important to know when you’ll have access to your checked baggage, as well as the reason why, so that you can plan to keep essential items out. With these tips, travel is a breeze!