Five Reasons to Check Your Luggage- Tips for Women Who Travel

Top five reasons to check your luggage

There comes a time in ones life when you have to let go. Let go of the baggage fee, let go of having to wait a few extra minutes, let go of trying to control every detail. Check your luggage, it will be better. Here are five reasons why I always check my luggage, and you should too.

1. It’s Heavy AF- I often travel alone. As a woman over 40 I don’t feel like hoisting my luggage up onto the table when going through security, or in and out of an overhead compartment. (I can live without this extra “challenge”.) I also don’t want to drag my luggage into the ladies room with me, or behind me as I move through the airport. You don't need it on the crowded skylink train, or to drag it up and down the escalators. I’m not doing it anymore, I’m done.

2. You need more than 3oz of Shampoo- The TSA approved carry on size bottles can get you through a night or two but that’s about it. I want my beauty products when I’m traveling. The morning and evening rituals may be an edited version for travel, but you still need a normal size shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, moisturizer, cleanser, and shaving cream.

   Five reasons to check your luggage

3. Space- Releasing your luggage to the airlines allows you to create space for a more relaxed experience. Without being weighed down by your luggage you are hands free. You can move through the security line quickly and smoothly, sit and eat in a restaurant or brows the shops if you have a long layover. And you can move quickly if running to catch a tight connection. No waiting for bags on the jet bridge or trying to find it in an overhead bin ten rows behind your seat. I have seen people miss connections because of this. Just check the damn bag!

4. Odds- Occasionally your luggage may temporarily be “misplaced”. This is pretty rare but it does happen. It will be frustrating if your bags do not arrive at your destination when you do but, usually they are delivered to you within 24-48 hours. In my opinion the odds are worth the roll of the dice. I can always survive without my luggage for two days with proper planning and a well packed carry-on. (see my post on how to pack your carry-on bag)

Five reasons to check your luggage

(Note: Delta is by far my favorite airline. If you have the Fly Delta App when your luggage is loaded onto your flight you get a notification, and it lets you know where to pick it up when you land. Pretty Sweet…)

5. Laundry- I don’t love doing laundry when I am at home and I certainly don’t want to wash my panties and socks in a hotel sink because I couldn’t fit everything I needed for my trip in a carry-on roller bag. Seriously, I want a few options in my travel wardrobe. I don’t want to wear five layers of clothing on my flight to save room!

You might even want to buy a souvenir to bring home, so it is nice to have the option.

Life is short, book the trip, and check your luggage.