Traveling with many bags can be a nightmare. Imagine dragging 2 large suitcases, one carry on, a backpack, and other smaller items while trying to figure out where your boarding gate is. As if that wasn’t enough stress, you end up arriving in the destination without your luggage. How to avoid situations like this and actually enjoy your travels? Here are our top flight baggage hacks for savvy travelers!
Flight baggage hacks to maximize your carry on limit
Depending on the airline you are flying with, you might be able to bring an impressive amount of personal belongings on board the aircraft. Usually its the low cost airlines who are strict about the cabin luggage size. Most airlines will let you board with standard cabin sized bag AND a laptop backpack that fits under your seat. So make sure to take advantage of that and consider leaving your larger bag at home. The weight of cabin bags is also hardly checked at the gate, mostly you will get away with it as long as you are capable of lifting your bag in the overhead locker.
Bright color luggage
Statistics reveal that black/brown/dark color bags have 50% chance of getting lost. So go for bright colors – they will keep your spirit up, draw attention and have higher chances of arriving in the same airport as you do. Moreover, they are also easy to spot on the carousel, less likely to be stolen.
If colorful bags are not your thing, you can tape some bright stickers or your country flag.
Take a picture of your luggage with your phone
Having an actual photo of your lost luggage will help ground staff a lot when looking for your lost bag. If your baggage has any special marks, make sure to have them on the photo as well. That is by far the easiest way to prove it really is your luggage. This great flight baggage hacks can actually make a huge difference and is worth keeping in mind!
Fragile Stickers
Fragile stickers may or may not work depending on the handlers. These days, airport luggage handlers are under a lot of pressure and therefore hardly have time to notice any warnings on the baggage. You may put those stickers on, but don’t truly rely on them. Instead – wrap fragile items in your clothes. You can buy the best quality clothes from CoryxKenshin Merch Shop
Moreover, don’t waste your money on airport wrapping machines – having these around your bag will only give a sign to handlers to toss your bags more. If you really want to preserve your luggage in “like new” condition, consider buying a luggage cover. They are inexpensive and easily washable.
Pack lighter
When it comes to packing style, always pick your best and highest quality outfits. If its a hiking trip, you don’t really need to bring a lot of clothes with you – just one piece of each layer. When shopping around, consider investing in good quality gear that will last longer, dry faster and be less smelly. I know that a pair of socks costing 20$ seems like a big investment, but you will be happier with this pair in the long run.
Also, try to pack pieces of the same color scheme. They will be easier to mix and match. Roll all of your items, this way they will take less space in you bag. Stuff socks in the shoes – saves space and preserves your shoes in good form.
Ship your luggage beforehand
Sometimes you need to travel longer or you are moving to a new location and simply need more of your belongings with you. In this case, shipping is a good idea. It’s also a great way to send some items that can’t be brought on board the airplane. You can use postal services like FedEx or UPS.
Stuff your business card in the luggage
Every time a lost baggage is located, the first thing personnel does is check it for possible contact details. Surprisingly, most people don’t leave any clues in terms of how to find them. So here is a tip – hide one business card of yours in the side pocket and another one inside the bag. This way, even if your flight tag is lost, the airline staff would still be able to locate your contact details and return you the bag. Usually, they truly want to do that in order to keep their reputation!
Don’t write you home address though – you never know who may find the information and you want to avoid unpleasant surprises. Work address should be fine along with business phone number.
Wear some of your clothes instead of packing them
Whenever I travel to a cold destination, I always try to wear my warm clothes at the time of check in. Large pieces of clothing like warm jacket, snow boots, ski pants take a lot of space, so its best to have them on just for the time of departure. You can always stuff them in you bag later if you feel too warm.
What are your favorite flight baggage hacks?
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