with summer travel Fox News Digital spoke to experts as part of the campaign already in full swing and learned some of their tips and tricks for ensuring that checked bags make it to their destination safely.
Airports are busier than they have been in years, which means more people will be checking their bags.
What travel experts recommend doing – and what not to do – so that your vacation doesn’t start with waiting in line at the lost luggage office at the airport.
5 secret packing hacks to maximize space and reduce stress during summer travel
Consider these four suggestions.
1. Fly direct if possible
,Direct flights “These are the best options if you want your luggage to get to the right place,” Richard Campbell, founder of Calgary-based travel company 10Adventures, told Fox News Digital via email.
If a direct flight isn’t possible and bags must be checked, Campbell recommends waiting at least 90 minutes between flights.
To avoid losing checked bags, fly direct if possible — or at the very least, don’t book on a train with a tight connection, one travel expert said. (Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“If I have to stop two or more times, I assume I won’t find my luggage when I get to my final destination,” he said.
Nikita Kosholkin, co-founder and CMO of the App in the Air tool, told Fox News Digital that he personally doesn’t mind the 45-minute pause, but added, “It would be better if it was more than an hour.”
Traveling internationally? Bringing these drugs with you could be illegal, says pharmacist
“Due to arrangements at the airport, the time a bag can travel is limited,” he said.
“Even if you catch your next flight, your bag won’t.”
2. Don’t over pack
Jeremy Murchland, president of Seven Corners Travel Insurance, told Fox News Digital that packing lightly, even for checked bags, can help ensure that the bag reaches its destination. Located in Indiana,
Someone who overpacks may have to rush to the check-in gate to make sure their bag is under the weight limit — doing so, Murchland said, is “inviting for problems.”
One expert told Fox News Digital that an overweight bag may be moved to another part of the airport — increasing the chance of it getting lost. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“You’ll lose items while moving them around or they may get damaged if they’re not packed securely. Plus, you’re now stuck handling loose items that you didn’t even need in the first place,” he said.
In addition, they said that larger or heavier bags will not be treated the same as standard-sized bags. Instead, it will be picked up from a location other than baggage claim.
Summer travel: How to pack a carry-on (and nothing else!) this vacation
“Anytime your luggage has to travel along a different route or go through a different process than normal, the risk of losing your bag is higher, so stay within the recommended limits set by your airline,” he said.
3. Make your bag unique
Many suitcases look alike – meaning if someone isn’t careful they could end up going home with someone else’s luggage.
Several experts told Fox News Digital that adding luggage straps or stickers to a “basic black suitcase” can help it stand out. (iStock)
“Everyone is tired after a transatlantic flight, and it’s very easy to grab the wrong suitcase at the luggage carousel,” Campbell said.
To avoid this, Campbell puts stickers on both sides of his “basic black suitcase”, as well as a yellow pompom – which he removes as soon as he picks up his bag.
Richmond-based food and travel blogger Dominic Brown also uses identifying marks on his luggage.
Click here to sign up for our Lifestyle newsletter
“Whether I Traveling within the country and abroad“I use luggage straps to make sure my luggage doesn’t get lost at the airport,” he told Fox News Digital in an email.
He said these stripes help his suitcases stand out from other “basic colored suitcase sets.”
Brown, who owns the website TollTravelEats, has traveled to multiple continents — and he told Fox News Digital that he hasn’t lost any bags on his travels since he started using straps to hold luggage.
AirTags or other similar tracking products could help a traveler find their bag after a long day of travel. (Apple)
But Brown cautioned that to avoid any surprises at the airport, travelers should make sure luggage straps are TSA-approved.
4. Use a GPS tracker
Another suggestion that travelers should consider is Using AirTags Or use other similar tracking products to make sure their bag reaches the plane.
Apple-made AirTags require setup with an iPhone or iPad, but the product can be tracked using an app available on the Google Play Store.
Click here to get the Fox News app
Other tracking devices, like Tile, aren’t tied to a particular operating system.
“Luggage gets lost, and often the airlines don’t know where it is,” Campbell said.
“I want to help them, so I use AirTags so I can find lost luggage and show it to the airline.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
Like all technologyAirTags aren’t perfect, Campbell said.
“The first time I (used an AirTag in a checked bag) I almost had a heart attack when I flew from London, but my bag showed up in another part of Heathrow,” he said.
“Turns out, AirTags can’t update in parts of the airport where there’s no signal.”
