TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

At the airport, all bags look pretty much the same. It is a good idea to buy colorful bags or use luggage straps with bold colors and your name printed on them. It makes the bag easier for you to identify, and harder for another passenger to take it by mistake. It also helps airlines identify your bag, should it go astray.

Ensure your bag has a secure label attached with your contact details on and consider writing your name and address on the inside of the suitcase in permanent ink too.

Did you know that an empty suitcase can weigh 12lbs (5.5kg) or more? That is a big chunk out of your 40lb (18kg) total allowance, which severely restricts the amount of luggage you can take. Choose a lightweight bag to start with and avoid those excess luggage fees.

Also biggest is not always best. A large suitcase fully packed with clothing will certainly weigh more than the weight allowance permitted, leaving you to either pay the hefty excess baggage fee or pack things so loosely that they slide around and crumple.

Your wisest and most economical choice is a lightweight, medium-sized bag which is well-made and has wheels.