Happy Pumpkin Wednesday! Tips for Savvy Traveling

Hello friends and Happy Pumpkin Wednesday!  Only two work days left till we are smack-dab in the middle of what I hope is another glorious fall weekend!

This week, in preparation for your fall trips and upcoming holiday travel, Pumpkin wanted to send some friendly reminders about how to behave with your carry-on and checked luggage.  A quick disclaimer, Pumpkin has not traveled via airplane, but you'll find her advice still sounds like it comes from a well seasoned traveler.


One awesome change to airline de-regulation in the late 1970's was that air travel became available and affordable for the general population.  However, one of the unfortunate consequences of the current economy is that airlines are looking to make cash any way they can.  There are fees for everything from snacks, to pillows and blankets, and of course seats with leg room.  But, one of the biggest, and often unavoidable, expenses is the checked luggage fees.


The blog Airfare Watchdog maintains and updates a chart identifying the fees associated with checked luggage for almost every airline.  Fees can range anywhere from $20 for the first checked bag, to $125 for the third bag, and the possibility of charges for checked bags each time you have to change planes!  There are some airlines, like Southwest, that don't charge fees for the first two checked bags, and other airlines, like Delta, which offer to waive checked bag fees when you have their airlines reward credit cards.

While most people have responded by jamming as much into their carry-on bags as possible, there are some vacations where you just need to check a bag.  While checking a bag is not a problem, making sure you can find/get your bag when you arrive at your destination is crucial to a successful vacation.

Pumpkin advises to make sure you arrive at the airport on time/earlier than you think you need to if you are checking a bag.  While you can never guarantee your bag gets where its supposed to be, your chances of having that bag on the plane increase when the airline employees have plenty of time to get it to the right area.

Don't laze around!  Get to the airport early!

Don't forget to put a name tag on your bag.  Invest some money on a good name tag that is sturdy, and has large print.

Lindsay always makes me wear my name tag...like I could forget my name

Also, if you own a medium sized navy blue or black piece of luggage, there is a strong possibility that the baggage carousel will contain several others which look exactly the same.  Differentiate your luggage so another traveler doesn't mistakenly take your bag.  Some way to do this are to use colored ribbons or strings, or invest in a luggage band.

Lindsay marks me with these kitty scarves

If you do decide to avoid the mess of checking bags, make sure that you follow the most important piece of carry-on etiquette.

If you have a rollerboard bag, i.e. bag with wheels, make sure that when you put it in the overhead bins you place the bag lengthwise, not width wise.  With overhead bin space at a premium it's simply unfair to take up more space than necessary. Also, if your bag is small, opt to put it in the space in front of your seat, not in the overhead bin!

Place your bags in the bin lengthwise, not width wise, like below

What are your tips for getting to your vacation destination in one piece and with all your luggage?

Looking forward to a lovely Thursday!