Even though I put a lot of thought into how to best dodge airline bag fees, I tend to check my luggage more often then I go “carry-on only”. As a frequent flyer, I avoid bag fees thanks to my Delta Medallion status. Even with the financial barrier removed, there are still cases where carrying all of my luggage is preferable to letting the airlines carry that load for me.
Here are the top reasons you will see me skip the baggage claim area:
Short Trips: Very short trips (2-3 days) mean I can fly with very light luggage, so why bother asking the time to check my bags? This also the type of trip where dealing with lost luggage is a serious problem … by the time they locate my clothes it’s already time to go home. Better to play it safe.
Low Tech: the trips where I check the most luggage tend to be the ones where I have more gadgets to carry. I’m not foolish enough to hand my laptop, iPad, cameras, lenses and cellular phone off to baggage handlers … the theft rate is just too high. If I don’t have a lot of extra tech to carry, I’ll put clothes in the overhead instead.
Missed Connections: I’m normally careful about scheduling my connecting flights, especially on international trips. But sometimes the short connection is unavoidable, and this is where you a most likely to part with your luggage. In my travel life a short connection is under an hour between scheduled arrival and departure. If you have too much luggage for “carry on only” then pack your toiletries and an extra day’s worth of clothes in your carry on … this will get you through the typical lost luggage experience. Otherwise get ready to make the gate dash with all of your possessions in hand. Note that this is another reason to pack light: it’s hard to run carrying heavy bags.
Airports With Slow Baggage Claim: this is my top reason for skipping checked bags on domestic trips. Atlanta has a reputation for slow service at baggage claim, but in my experience it’s nothing compared to Seattle or San Francisco. When I travel away from home it’s usually on business, and I have things to do when I land. A 30-45 minute delay waiting for luggage can really kill my schedule. Unless I gotta lug a lotta crap, I’ll walk right by the carousel in specific airports.
I don’t like being a pack mule, so I reserve “carry on only” travel for specific situations. It’s a great travel option, as long as you stick to common courtesy when using the overhead compartments.
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