I Never Stress Over Lost Luggage Because of This Travel Trick

The pain of lost luggage can put a damper on an entire vacation. There’s nothing worse than waiting at the baggage carousel, only to walk away empty-handed. As a frequent traveler, I have dealt with my fair share of luggage woes — no matter how expertly I packed beforehand. On a 48-hour trip to Copenhagen without my checked suitcase, for example, I spent the first day searching for clothes that fit. Another time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I lamented not having access to my perfectly broken-in boots and favorite tried-and-true hiking pants I had carefully packed in my bag that was left on the tarmac several states away. 

Although my lost bags eventually showed up, after a few other similar experiences I vowed to travel carry-on-only whenever possible. The only problem with that plan is that sometimes I need to pack more than my carry-on can handle. So I needed a plan that would help me cope with delayed or lost checked bags. Now, to dramatically reduce the chances that I will be left without any of my things when I land, I came up with the “criss-cross” packing method for checked bags.

Once, when my husband and I were flying to Argentina, we checked in at the same counter and handed our luggage over to an airline employee at the same time. Yet, after landing, only my suitcase had arrived (an Airtag showed that his bag was still in Houston, where we had a layover). We had to wait at least a day or two to get his suitcase back, so we had to miss a tour we had booked for the following morning in order to shop for clothing for him. It was while shopping that I had an epiphany: If we had packed half of my husband’s stuff in my suitcase, and half of his in mine, we both would’ve had enough to get us through the first couple of days of our trip while we waited for the wayward suitcase to be delivered to our hotel. 

The idea is so simple that I wish I had thought of it sooner. Now, whenever I travel with my husband, kids, or even a friend, I pack half of my things in one suitcase and half in another while my travel companion does the same.

The “criss-cross” packing method is very simple. For example, instead of packing six shirts and two pairs of pants I might need for a trip in one suitcase, three shirts and one pair of pants go in one suitcase and the rest go in another. The same goes for underwear, socks, sweaters, shoes, swimsuits, and so on.

Once we get to our destination, it’s easy to take my items out of my travel companion’s suitcase and get organized in our hotel room. If I am traveling with more than one family member, we split our belongings up among multiple suitcases to maximize our chances of everyone having some clothing when we arrive. It’s worked out for us already: On a family trip to Peru this summer, my daughter’s suitcase was left behind by the airline. Instead of panicking and spending our first day of vacation at a mall, we were able to go about our day without missing a beat while we waited for the lost bag to arrive.

Even though the criss-cross method of packing provides me with peace of mind, it has some limitations. The biggest limitation is that it requires two or more people to travel together. When I travel alone, I don’t have a second suitcase to use as back-up, so I can’t use the criss-cross method for every trip. (Although usually, in this case, I’m traveling carry-on-only.) Another limitation is that all of my family’s checked suitcases could be delayed or lost. While this hasn’t happened yet, and I hope it never does, I am aware that I could still find myself without any luggage at some point. That’s especially true if I check my bags too close to the flight’s departure or have a short layover. 

Because of that risk, I still pack necessities such as my medication, laptop, and phone chargers in my carry-on or personal item. Nevertheless, I have no plans to stop using the cross-cross packing method. It’s already gotten me out of a jam once, and I may need it again in the future.