Going on vacation by plane? 5 tips for packing suitcases

Packing your suitcase or backpack seems to be quite simple, but in reality things often go wrong. A shampoo bottle opens and your clothes are dirty, you forgot to bring your extra contact lens solution or your suitcase is too heavy! As travel enthusiasts, we would like to give you some tips so that you pack your suitcase correctly.

1. Packing list

Our first tip sounds very simple, but it's something many vacationers don't do. Create a packing list and use it as a checklist while packing. There are many different websites where you can compile a packing list for any type of vacation. You just need to answer a few questions and the appropriate list will be automatically created for your vacation. Go on vacation more often? Then it is also useful to compile your own packing list once. For example, you can use Excel and print out the list every time you pack your suitcase. If you have checked everything off, you can be sure that you have everything with you on vacation.

2. Weight of the suitcase

A suitcase you check in can weigh up to 20 kilograms on average. This 20 kilograms also includes the weight of the suitcase or backpack. A backpack is naturally quite light, but a suitcase can easily weigh up to 6 kilograms. This is not ideal because it means you can take less with you. So pay attention to the weight of the suitcase if you want to buy a new one. Another way to reduce the risk of exceeding the maximum weight is to fill travel bottles and take them with you. You won't use up all your shampoo and lotion on vacation anyway, so why take it all with you? This saves a lot of weight. An added benefit is that travel bottles don't open as quickly during the trip!

3. Roll up clothes or use vacuum bags

One way to save space in your suitcase or backpack is to roll up your clothes or use vacuum bags. Nowadays there are vacuum bags for travel. They are bags of various sizes that can be vacuumed by closing the bag and rolling it up. Very practical! In addition to vacuum bags, rolling up your clothes is also a good option. Not only will this save a lot of space, but it will also make your clothes less likely to wrinkle – very beneficial when going on vacation. Especially when packing a backpack, rolling up your clothes is extremely convenient.

4. Recognizable suitcase

It sometimes happens that the wrong suitcase is taken from the baggage carousel. This should be avoided, as it can take days to get your suitcase back – if at all. Therefore, you should clearly mark or sticker your suitcase so that you can quickly identify it. But also so that it is clear for others that it is not their suitcase. Nowadays you can have many beautiful stickers printed online with a text or attach a recognizable luggage tag.

5. Beach towel

Another tip to pack your suitcase properly: Only take a beach towel with you if it is really necessary. A large towel takes up a lot of space and is quite heavy. A good substitute for a beach towel is a large bandana. It's perfect for laying on, dries quickly and weighs little. If you're taking a beach towel or bandana, place it on top of all your belongings and use it to pack your luggage from the top, so to speak. This way everything stays in its place.

We would like to give you one more tip: Always pack your valuable and important items in your carry-on luggage. This goes for things like a camera, a clean pair of pants, your contact lens solution, a swimsuit and a toothbrush. In case your suitcase gets taken by someone else or doesn't arrive at your destination, you'll still have some essentials with you that can help you on short notice.

You may have other good tips. We would be happy if you share your tips with us!

Flight Problems?

The suitcase is perfectly packed thanks to our tips, you arrived relaxed at the airport – and then the nasty surprise: Your flight has a long delay or was even canceled. You may be entitled to compensation in this case. EUclaim actively supports you in this process. If you have been affected by a delay or cancellation, you can now check for free if you are entitled to compensation.