Packing for Your Trip

The best packing advice we can give is “pack light” . It is common to want to take more stuff than we actually need. Have you ever returned from your travels with clothing you did not wear? It’s all too common yet avoidable. Every little thing in our bags translates into carrying weight on our bodies and on the weighing scales at the airport check-in. The more we can leave behind the better off we will be. And having a little extra wiggle room in our luggage guarantees us space to fit new memorabilia. Plus, in most places, you can pick up what you need while on the road.

Baggage Allowances

Gone are the days when you could show up to the airport and easily pass through security with several bags in hand. Travelers are now faced with many challenges including luggage restrictions placed on weight, size, quantity and how to properly clear our carry-on(s) and toiletries through security.

Each of the airlines may differ slightly with their luggage restrictions, so make sure you check the Web sites for all of the airlines you will fly with to ensure boarding your flights will be trouble free. It’s annoying to have to throw away that new bottle of drinking water in order to pass through the first security check point, but it will certainly be more frustrating when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) turns us around because our bag is slightly bigger and heavier than what is allowed. Better to be safe than sorry!

Important Baggage Tips

1. Make your luggage visually unique with color straps or tags so you can easily locate its arrival in the baggage claim area and avoid the nightmare of another person accidentally mistaking yours for theirs.
2. Similar to pricing airfares, your cheapest luggage option is not always your best choice. Remember that the bags we travel with are protecting our clothes and other valuables, so look for ones that are strong and durable so they can hold up to the test of time.
3. Check with all of the airlines that you will be flying on for their luggage restrictions which include limits with baggage size, weight and number of allowable carry-on bags. All airline rules may slightly differ.

4. Definitely check the Web site of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for additional information about what you can and cannot take. See their Know Before You Go Travel Card .

5. Valuable items, medications, important documents, keys and glassware should be packed in your carry-on(s). If your checked-in bags are accidentally loaded on the wrong plane then you won’t have to worry about being without essential medications and other necessities and breakables.

6. If you plan to use locks on your bags get TSA approved Travel Sentry™ locks and avoid having your non-permitted locks from potentially being clipped by the TSA.

7. Be careful about buying and toting around flashy luggage; for instance, carrying a Louis Vutton suitcase will stick out like a sore thumb and may mark you as a valuable target for theft. Just a thought!

*Download our free Packing Checklist .