Travel Precautions: Locking Your Luggage

This summer, as many hit the road, there’s a focus on an interesting question: should travelers lock their luggage? Experts seem to think it might be a wise move.

Frances Cape, a New York-based travel expert, pointed out that issues with luggage have persisted over the years. “Travel security has tightened for solid reasons,” she mentioned. Not only do travelers fret about lost bags, but, well, there’s also the concern about whether their belongings are being treated well.

Page noted the increasing risk of theft at airports, which is certainly something to consider.

According to AAA, an impressive 45.1 million Americans are anticipated to travel at least 50 miles from home during Memorial Day weekend. Moreover, a recent summer travel survey by Deloitte revealed that 53% of Americans are planning leisure trips this summer, an increase from 48% last year.

Gary Leff, a travel expert from Texas and writer behind the blog View From the Wing, shared that he personally wouldn’t pack anything of significant value in checked luggage. “The risk of airlines mishandling luggage is actually higher than theft,” he explained, emphasizing that losing a bag feels just as frustrating as theft.

He also pointed out that a TSA-approved lock might not be the best safeguard, as it wouldn’t prevent someone else from simply taking your bag off the carousel. “Losing a bag is roughly the same as having it stolen,” he noted.

The TSA estimates that about 90,000 to 100,000 items are left behind at checkpoints monthly. So, locking your bag seems to have a few downsides, such as possibly losing your key or forgetting the combination, but it might be worth it for peace of mind during your travels.