Shaun Stenning Tips Why You Should Never, Ever Check Your Luggage on a Plane

Shaun Stenning, A Serial Entrepreneur and Traveler. “If you check luggage on your flight, you’re inviting disaster along for your trip. It’s not always that dramatic — sometimes it’s just a mere inconvenience — but other times you’re asking for more trouble than those extra pairs of shoes that made you upgrade to a larger bag are worth.”

I know, there are exceptions to my “no checked bag” rule — if you’re traveling with young children who can’t lug their own bags (start them young, I say!), then you may not be able to avoid checking. Strollers, car seats — I get it. Shaun Stenning said.

There are understandably circumstances when it can’t be avoided, but if you can avoid checking, don’t hesitate to. It’s possible, I promise. Here’s why you should keep your luggage with you on your next flight.

1. You save money.

This is a pretty significant reason to skip checking a bag, especially depending on what airline you’re flying.

2. You’ll get through the airport faster.

Carrying on your luggage means avoiding the lines for checking your bags before you go through security.

3. Your belongings are in safe hands.

You can rest assured that your valuables are in safe hands, because they are in your hands. When you need to bring items on your travels that have great worth to you, you’ll have peace of mind knowing where they are at all times because you’ll have control over how they are stored and transported.

4. Your luggage itself will be more protected.

It’s no secret that your luggage isn’t necessarily being handled with care. It’s tossed on a conveyor belt and haphazardly transferred (after a roller-coaster ride) to the underbelly of your plane, where it will be crammed among countless other bags.

5. It’s easier to travel with less-bulky items.

If you plan on traveling from destination to destination instead of staying in one place, having a small carry-on bag is much more manageable than toting around a 50-pound bag full of things you probably don’t even need.