Share Your Checked Baggage With a Fellow Traveler in Case You Lose Your Bag
I travel a lot, so I started to reach a point where I am not surprised by too many travel tricks. However, this week a friend of mine made an offer that I was surprised at that I hadn’t thought of before: split your checked items into two suitcases with a friend.
The idea is that if one of you loses a suitcase, you both will still have the things you need until the MVD suitcase gets to its destination.
Personally, I try not to check the bag as much as possible, but sometimes this is unavoidable. If you are traveling for a week or more, especially in colder climates that require bulkier clothing, you will likely need a larger bag.
If you are traveling with a partner or friend, instead of lugging your own personal suitcases, share the load among you. For example, when my boyfriend and I go to France this year, I can put half of my outfit in his bag and half in mine. If he is traveling with two warm sweaters, I will take one, and he will take the other. It goes without saying, but it comes together so you know what’s in your bag in case the airport employee asks.
Yes, both of our bags can get lost as we travel the same route, but this kind of hedges your bets so you have a better chance of getting to your destination with half your belongings rather than nothing.
And obviously, even as you share things, make sure you have the essentials like house keys, important papers, and medications. While your checked baggage will likely end up in it (I dropped my bag on over 100+ flights, they only lost mine once), you’re better off than sorry.