United Airlines is testing a new service that could make early morning flights far less stressful. The airline's Twilight Bag Drop program allows eligible passengers to check their bags the evening before departure instead of arriving extra early the next morning.

The pilot program launched at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in late March and is available for select United flights departing before 10 a.m. Eligible travelers receive an email invitation the day before their flight, pay any checked bag fees online, and drop off their luggage between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The next morning, passengers can head straight to the TSA security checkpoint without stopping at the check-in counter.

So far, United says nearly 1,600 bags have been processed through the program, with overwhelmingly positive customer feedback. The airline plans to continue testing the service at O'Hare and says it could eventually expand to additional hub airports.

Twilight Bag Drop is also available at Guam International Airport, making Chicago and Guam the only two airports currently offering the service.

The Takeaway

United's overnight bag drop program is designed to save travelers time and reduce stress before early morning flights. If the trial continues to perform well, more United hubs could offer the service in the future.