Think about the worst case
Checked luggage almost always arrives with you. Occasionally, though, a bag misses a connection, gets loaded onto the wrong flight or turns up a day late. When deciding what to put in the hold, ask yourself a simple question: if this bag arrived tomorrow instead of today, what would I be unable to cope without? Those items travel in your cabin bag or personal item.
Medication and health essentials
Any medicine you take regularly should be in your hand luggage, ideally in its original packaging with the pharmacy label. Bring enough for the whole trip plus a couple of extra days in case of delays. Glasses, contact lenses and their solution, hearing aid batteries and any medical devices belong with you too.
If you carry injectable medication or a larger quantity of liquid medicine, a letter or prescription from your doctor can make security checks smoother. Check with your departure airport if you are unsure what is permitted.
Valuables and documents
Passports, ID cards, driving licences, keys, cash, cards and jewellery should never go in the hold. The same goes for laptops, tablets, cameras and anything else expensive or fragile. Many travel insurance policies limit or exclude cover for valuables placed in checked baggage, so keeping them with you is also about protecting your claim.
Work documents, hard drives and anything irreplaceable, such as a family heirloom or the only copy of a project, are best kept within arm's reach.
Batteries and electronics
Spare lithium batteries and power banks generally must travel in the cabin rather than the hold, because a damaged battery is much easier to deal with in the cabin. E-cigarettes and vapes are usually subject to the same rule. Devices with built-in batteries are a more nuanced area, so check current guidance before packing them in a checked bag.
Chargers and cables are worth keeping in your hand luggage anyway. A flat phone on arrival is a real problem when your boarding pass, hotel booking and maps are all stored on it.
A one-day survival kit
Add a change of underwear, a T-shirt, a toothbrush and any essential toiletries to your cabin bag. If you are heading somewhere warm, a swimsuit takes almost no space. Should your checked bag be delayed, you can carry on with your first day rather than spending it in a shop.
Good to know
- Photograph the contents of your checked bag before you close it; it helps with any claim.
- Keep medicine in its original packaging with your name visible.
- Put chargers in your hand luggage, not the hold.