Air Travel Packing Tips - International Air Travel Tips

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Since you are likely going to be traveling to Peru by air, it is a good idea to get some air travel packing tips along with international air travel tips that apply to Peru travel.

These will save you time, money, and frustration!

Peru Air Travel Packing Tips - International Air Travel Tips

Preparations Before starting to pack:

• First - Find out exactly what the airline requires for size, weight, number of pieces of luggage you can bring without incurring stiff overweight or oversize charges. This includes your carry-on or hand baggage.
  

• Second - Be sure to check luggage requirements for 

• EACH airline (in the case you connect with another airline) for inside your country, inside Peru, and 

• AGAIN for all international flights to or from Peru even with the same airlines, as the requirements can differ significantly from national to international, country to country, leg to leg of your trip EVEN WITH THE SAME AIRLINE.
  

Digital Luggage Scale

• Pack within the minimum requirements of the most exacting leg of your flight; if you need more luggage or weight, find out beforehand what the charges are.
•   At times, it is cheaper to buy the item you need when you get to Peru - most things are available in the major cities.

• Obtain a digital scale for your luggage so that you can weigh the luggage you will be taking on your trip to Peru. This includes your carry-on or hand luggage.

Carry-on Luggage Most airlines internationally and within Peru allow you to carry on with you a pack or bag as well as one personal item like a laptop, purse, or second bag.

• Carry-On Bags do have size and weight limitations.

There is a liquid and gel ban for carry-on luggage. 

• The formula is simple 3-1-1: three ounce container or smaller in one quart-sized, clear, zip-top bag, with a limit of one bag per passenger. 
• Of course, you can always place larger quantities in your checked luggage.
• Exceptions are possible in cases of medical needs but you should clear that with the authorities well beforehand.

• Laptops: If you can, purchase a computer cable lock (similar to a bike lock). All laptops now come with a special hole to insert the lock. 
• Carry the laptop on in an easy-to-open bag separate from your main carry-on pack. It must come out and go through security each time.

• Put a label with your name, expected airline flight number, destination, phone number where you will be staying on arrival, home number, etcetera.
  
• Some recommend engraving owner information on your laptop to discourage theft, but there is no proof that really is effective.

International Air Travel Tips - Checked Luggage

• Checked luggage is your suitcases, etcetera, that will go in the baggage area of the airplane and not with you in the seating area. 
• Check that in at the counter as soon as you get to the airport.

• Don't lock your luggage unless you use a TSA approved lock. 
• Otherwise, if the luggage is detained in customs and has to be opened for security reasons, they will break the lock.
• Also, some luggage fasteners tend to pop open when buried under other heavy bags, so you might want to put a extra 2-inch-wide strap with fastener around your suitcase just in case. 
• Don't be mislead. A heavy or big "carry-on" backpack or bag WILL have to be checked in as checked luggage.

A cable lock for your
computer is highly
recommended

• Pack your footwear on top of everything else, since security may want to check it. Wear slip-on shoes.
  

• Don't pack everything in so it just fits exactly. All your hard work will come apart at the first security check and you won't have time to repack it…and it might not all fit again. Pack a little loose.

• If you put food, drinks, or other liquid items in your luggage, you may find them all over the rest of your things when you open your luggage.
• If you must pack this type of stuff, put it in a really, really, good ziplock bag. Make sure it meets restrictions.

Confiscated Items at an International Airport

• There are a lot of things you cannot pack in your carryon, ie, against the security laws.
  
• These are things deemed potentially dangerous to others such as knives, etcetera. 
• Your best pocket knife will be confiscated without mercy notwithstanding its $150.00 value.
• As will dinner knives, finger nail files, finger nail clippers, and a whole bunch of other things.
• Check the signs that are posted showing the prohibited items as soon as you get to the airport. You may need to take something out of your carry-on and put it in your checked luggage before checking in.

• Label all your bags, including your carry-on, purse, etcetera, with your name, address, phone number, etcetera.
  

ID Card & Tags

• Some recommend putting a card with that information inside your each piece of luggage in case the tag comes off the outside. That is a good idea.

• If you are traveling with more than a few bags, you might put extra tags with the number of the piece and total pieces: "1 of 8," "2 of 8," 3 of 8," so it is easy to see if you are missing a piece.

• Tie a brightly colored ribbon, tape, or plastic bag around the handle of each of your checked luggage pieces. It makes it a lot easier when finding your luggage among many others that look alike when you arrive at your destination.

Us folks at Inside Peru hope that these air travel packing tips and international air travel tips not only make your trip easier but also save you money.

We also know there are a lot of air travel packing tips and international air travel tips that you have discovered by your own experiences. Others are really eager to hear about your tips, too!