#carry-on-packing

#carry-on-packing

If you're the type of traveler who struggles with only packing a carry-on suitcase, only to give up and lug a checked bag to the airport, you're most likely doing one of two things wrong. Overpacking typically stems from a lack of preparedness; you left your packing until the very last minute and didn't strategically consider each piece's function. There's also the possibility that you're not taking advantage of your allotted luggage allowance-namely, the personal item.

The answer is yes, but with a caveat. According to the 2024 SITA Global Baggage Report, the airline industry loses about $2 billion annually due to lost or mishandled luggage. So, lost luggage payouts are certainly happening at a grand scale, no doubt about it-but the individual payouts are sometimes a fraction of the value of the lost items. Per the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines are liable for up to $4,700 per person for lost luggage on domestic flights

Thanksgiving week is one of the most hectic times to find yourself in an airport. In 2023, the TSA recorded the Sunday after the holiday as its busiest day in history-although that number was since topped this past summer. So if you're one of those millions of travelers taking to the skies the last week of November, you can probably expect longer-than-average security lines, crowded gates, and busy pick-up areas.

Just like there's a time and a place for checking a bag, there's also a time and a place for packing everything in a carry-on...backpack. If you're planning a trip that requires you to travel lightly-like an African safari, a backpacking adventure through Europe, or a biking or hiking excursion-you'll need to figure out how exactly you can make the latter strategy work.