In an era of shoe checks and an increasingly broad range of charges airlines are tacking on for everything from meals to extra baggage, traveling by plane with just one bag makes more sense today than ever. Here are seven reasons why.
Traveling with one bag, as long as it's not too big, generally means you can carry the bag onto the plane and store it in one of the overhead bins. On most airlines, you can carry on only one bag, along with a purse or laptop bag, so you get to keep that bag within sight at all times.
A single bag in an overhead bin also eliminates the risks of lost baggage, a perennial problem for the airlines. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's annual Air Travel Consumer Report for 2009, airlines on average "mishandled'" meaning lost, 4.05 bags per 1,000 passengers in the first six months of the year, just a slight bump down from the 5.82 bags per 1,000 passengers they lost in the first six months of 2008. If you figure the average flight carries 200 to 250 passengers, that comes out to nearly one lost bag per flight. And if you fly a lot, sooner or later that lost bag will be yours.
More and more airlines are charging for checked bags -- any checked bags, even one. some airlines charge more for each additional bag. Traveling with just one bag, which you can carry on, can save you money over the long run, particularly if you fly a lot.
Traveling with just one bag is cheaper during every step in the travel cycle. Not only do you skip the checked bag fee, but when you check into a hotel or have the valet load up your car, you generally give a dollar or two per bag. The fewer bags you have, the less you need to tip. And if you're on a vacation or business trip with four flight legs -- one stop each way at a hub like Dallas/Fort Worth or Chicago -- and several hotel stops, the difference can really add up.
Traveling with just one bag means less stress on your back from constantly having to lug around two or three bags instead of just one. And if you get in late to your hotel and must get up early the next morning, you know immediately where everything is.
Traveling with just one bag makes you think twice about whether you really need three heavy parkas with matching fur hats for that one night in Toronto before your flight to Miami. You'll be forced to pack only what you need. It also will make the decision process a lot easier once you arrive at your destination and get ready to go out for the evening. No use fretting about "what should I wear" because you've only got one nice suit or dress.
Bring along three weeks' worth of clothes in four huge suitcases and when you're done with your vacation, you're going to be stuck with four huge suitcases full of laundry. If you travel with one bag, and you're gone for more than two or three days, you'll be forced to wash your clothes on the road -- which might seem like a hassle at the time, but a true convenience when you get home.
