Back in the good old days of travel, you didn’t have to worry so much about how much your bags weighed or even how many bags you carried. Airlines were happy to accommodate your luggage in return for your travel business. Unfortunately, times have changed. Between terror threats, economic downturns and soaring jet fuel prices, airlines have started to look for ways to beef up their bottom line. Your baggage is an area where they are changing the rules in their favor.
First of all, you are generally allowed fewer bags than before. If you choose to take additional bags beyond the number limit, you will need to pay extra. In order to deal with this issue, it’s important to pack a little differently than you used to. Basically, you’re going to need to pack smarter. Instead of taking a variety of outfits for different days and events on your trip, your clothes need to mix and match. You need to pare your packing list down to a couple of essentials that combine well together and cover a variety of situations.
Weight limits are coming down too, which means that you will have to start weighing your bags. You should pick up some good luggage scales to prepare for check-in. Once you’re at the airport, it’s too late to start thinking about what you can take out of your baggage to lighten the load. You need to pare down in the comfort of your own home, and you can’t do this when you’re guessing at the weight of your bags. Don’t trust your bathroom scales to do this, it’s not what they were designed for.
Traveling in today’s world is not as carefree as it used to be, but there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy the journey. Just spend some additional time planning ahead. If all else fails, just carry enough cash to buy some of the things you need at your travel destination.