With over 4 million miles of public roads, the U.S. is among the best places in the world for a scenic road trip. But not all American roads are created equal. While some states pride themselves on well-maintained highways, others leave much to be desired. Fortunately for would-be road-trippers, the ConsumerAffairs Research Team has identified the states with the best and worst road conditions to help make sure your next road trip adventure will be smooth sailing.

States With the Best Roads

5. Kansas

Situated where the Midwest meets the Great Plains, Kansas is known for its agriculture, sprawling plains, and Wild West history. The state maintains a vast network of rural roads — some 12,465 miles — and only 3.9% are considered in poor condition. Additionally, only 10.4% of the urban roads in Kansas are in poor condition, meaning travelers can expect a smooth ride throughout most of the Sunflower State. 

Explore Kansas’ frontier past in Dodge City, or check out the quirky roadside attractions along I-70, including the World’s Largest Czech Egg and the World’s Largest Easel. 

4. Minnesota

Minnesota has 25,589 miles of rural roads. Most of these roads are in excellent condition, with only 6.6% listed as “poor.” Similarly, most of Minnesota’s urban roads are listed as “good” or “acceptable,” with only 13.7% falling into a “poor” rating. 

Known for its natural beauty, Minnesota boasts popular parks such as Voyageurs National Park and Gooseberry Falls State Park. In the Twin Cities, check out the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden — it’s completely free — or shop till you drop at the Mall of America in Bloomington, the largest mall in the country.

3. Idaho

If you’re off to visit the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, rest assured you’re in for a smooth drive. Idaho ranks third for best roads in the U.S., with only 4% of its rural roads and 10.1% of its urban roads listed in poor condition. 

Aside from its potato-centric economy, Idaho is known for its scenic landscapes, which can be enjoyed along the Sawtooth Scenic Byway, with views of the namesake mountains and Redfish Lake. Another favorite road-tripping spot is the 67-mile Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, home to waterfalls and hot springs. 

2. Alabama

Alabama’s roads are second-best in the U.S., with only 1.3% of rural roads and 3.5% of urban roads in poor condition. The state boasts many fascinating historical sites, including the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville (aptly known as “Rocket City”) and sites from the Civil Rights Movement in the cities of Birmingham and Montgomery, where the Rosa Parks Museum is located. 

To the south, Alabama’s Gulf Coast beckons with pristine white-sand beaches. Take a sunny drive down to Gulf Shores, home to sea turtles, trails, golf, and the 19th-century Fort Morgan that guards Mobile Bay. 

1. Indiana

The Hoosier State boasts the best road conditions in the U.S. — only 2.5% of rural roads and 5.3% of urban roads are in poor condition. Whether you’re road-tripping to catch a game at the University of Notre Dame or attending an exciting race day at the Indianapolis 500, you can trust Indiana’s well-kept roads to get you there safely. 

And for outdoor adventurers, a road trip might be the best way to enjoy Indiana’s many beautiful parks, from Indiana Dunes State Park (located on Lake Michigan) at the northern end of the state to the Hoosier National Forest in the south.

States With the Worst Roads

5. Rhode Island

The Ocean State is known for its coastal towns, ample seafood, Gilded Age mansions, and, unfortunately, poorly maintained roads. An estimated 30.3% of urban roads and 32.2% of rural roads are in poor condition, making it tricky for drivers to navigate the state’s rough highways. Although you’ll likely hit a few potholes, Rhode Island does have one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the country. 

4. Louisiana

If you’re driving to the Big Easy, you might be in for a bumpy ride. New Orleans is world-famous for its Creole cuisine, Mardi Gras celebrations, and historic architecture, but the city and the surrounding region have the fourth-worst road conditions in the country. 

Around 38.2% of Louisiana’s urban roads fall in the “poor” category, so travelers should keep an eye out for potholes and other road hazards. Similarly, 21.2% of Louisiana’s rural roads are in poor condition, so drivers should exercise caution while exploring the natural beauty of the bayou.

3. Hawaii

Though the islands of Hawaii boast some of the most breathtaking scenic drives in the U.S., drivers will have to keep a close eye on the road. Around 44.3% of urban roads and 28.5% of rural roads are in poor condition throughout the islands. However, that’s not to say road-tripping through the islands isn’t worthwhile, as long as you exercise caution. Famous drives, like Maui’s Hana Highway, boast incredible views of waterfalls, rainforests, and the Pacific Ocean.

2. Mississippi

Music-loving road-trippers flock to the Mississippi for sites like the Elvis Presley Birthplace in Tupelo and the museums of the Mississippi Delta region, where blues music was born. However, those drives require some careful attention — 40.9% of urban roads and 27.6% of rural roads in the Magnolia State are in poor condition. A contributing factor to road roughness is the state’s clay soil, which causes dips and cracks in the surface.

1. New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment lives up to its nickname with epic views of diverse landscapes, natural wonders, and hot air balloon festivals. If the state has one flaw, though, it might be its roads. 

Around 41.7% of urban roads and 30.7% of rural roads in New Mexico are poorly maintained. This results in heavier wear and tear on vehicles for residents and visitors, so use caution while renting a car during your next road trip. While the roads are rough, the journey can be worth the effort for unparalleled landscapes of the American Southwest.

About the data: ConsumerAffairs, a journal of consumer research, analyzed three main factors in their report: road surface roughness (in both urban and rural areas), the percentages of rural roads and urban roads classified as “poor” according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and car accident fatalities per 100 million miles traveled (data from the Federal Highway Administration). You can read the full report here.

Reddit is a social media site where people come together to discuss news, pop culture, and thousands of niche interests in so-called “subreddits.” In particular, the platform is a treasure trove of travel tips — jet-setters and seasoned adventurers log on to share all of their best recommendations, from bucket-list itineraries and must-visit attractions to clever packing tips and useful gadgets you never knew you needed. With over 15,000 travel-focused communities, it’s no wonder that curious travelers flock to the site for guidance. We’ve rounded up some of the best travel hacks from savvy Reddit users to help elevate your next journey.

Note: All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Daily Passport may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.

Ship Your Luggage Ahead

Why haul heavy luggage through airports or crowded public transportation if you don’t have to? User nedmg recommends sending it to your destination ahead of time. They use this hack while traveling in Japan, where they recently sent their heavy luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto for just $17 using Takuhaibin, a luggage shipping service. 

Shipping your luggage saves you the hassle of lugging your bags around the airport, ensuring your luggage will be waiting for you in your hotel room upon arrival. Many delivery services offer same-day or next-day options, and services like Send My Bag also offer long-distance deliveries for international trips.

Track Your Belongings With an AirTag

The benefits of an Apple AirTag or similar Bluetooth tracker like the Tile far outweigh the cost of replacing luggage and belongings. These tiny gadgets allow you to track your bags through your phone from anywhere in the world. 

Reddit user DryDependent6854 shared how an AirTag saved them from a potential travel headache when they lost their car in the massive parking lot at Mont-Saint-Michel in France. The lot was divided by hedges, causing limited visibility, but they had an AirTag in their backpack in the trunk, allowing them to locate the car quickly. 

Always Pack Ziploc Bags

A simple Ziploc bag is the travel essential you didn’t know you needed. According to user Pure-Remote9614, plastic storage bags can serve countless purposes. “Dirty hotel remotes? Stick it in a Ziploc. Soiled clothes and no way to wash? Keeps them separated and smells contained,” they shared on Reddit. 

Ziploc bags can also double as makeshift ice packs, emergency storage for liquid leaks, or storage for loose change. Stash a few bags of varying sizes in your luggage during your next trip — you never know when you might need them.

Download Offline Maps

Getting lost in an unfamiliar place can quickly ruin a day of sightseeing, so download an offline map of the area on your phone before you set out. As Reddit user -chibcha- points out, it’s easy to lose service in rural and international destinations, so having a map on your phone can be a lifesaver. 

With Google Maps, you can download detailed regional maps, including hiking trails, points of interest, and emergency medical centers. To do so, simply open the app, tap on your profile picture (or initials icon), select “offline maps,” choose your area, and you’re ready to explore.

Pack Your Own Pillowcase

Let’s face it — hotel linens aren’t always the most comfortable. To sleep more soundly during vacation, user NinjaCatWV suggests bringing your own pillowcase. There are also science-backed reasons to try this hack. Travel exposes you to excess germs, including those lingering on hotel bedding, making clean pillowcases especially important. 

If you suffer from allergies, you can bring a hypoallergenic pillowcase with you. This can also help prevent unwanted breakouts or skin irritation during travel by ensuring your pillowcase is fresh, clean, and free of unwanted scents or detergents. 

Don’t Waste Money on Bottled Water

Why pay for bottled water when you can find it for free? Several Reddit users offer tips for scoring free bottles of water and finding free water for refills. Contributor Doziness suggests always checking out the fitness center at the hotel, which often offers complimentary bottles of water as part of your daily resort fee. 

Another option is to bring your own reusable water bottle and refill it at airports, attractions, or resorts. Consider investing in a TSA-friendly travel water bottle that rolls up for compact packing in your luggage.

Use a Camera Translation App

Navigating a language barrier in a foreign destination is now easier thanks to camera-based translation apps. These allow you to snap a photo with your phone and quickly translate text like restaurant menus, road signs, and product labels. 

User InterviewAtTheRuins recommends the Google Camera app for Android — just click “translate” at the bottom of the app, and all the hard work is done for you. Apple iOS users will need to download a separate app, such as Speak & Translate, which translates over 100 languages and provides offline access for remote travel.

Purchase an Airport Lounge Day Pass

Most meals at airport restaurants these days come with a hefty price tag. That’s why user santc recommends purchasing a day pass to an airline lounge for a cost-effective — and more comfortable — experience. 

For example, you can purchase a day pass to the United Club (as long as you have a same-day boarding pass for a United Airlines flight) for $59 per person, which includes complimentary food and drinks, as well as access to exclusive restrooms, cushioned chairs, private tables, and even desks to work at. Meanwhile, a meal with a beer or two in the terminal can easily run you $50 plus tip.

Day-pass prices vary by lounge and location, but they typically range from around $25 to $100 per person. You can usually purchase them online or on the day of travel. It may also be worth signing up for a travel credit card that offers lounge access as a perk.

Choose Luggage That Stands Out

The travel threads of Reddit are chock-full of firsthand experiences of lost or stolen luggage. Many Reddit users say one way to mitigate this is to make your luggage stand out from the crowd to reduce the chance of mix-ups. Some even recommend purchasing uniquely colored or neon luggage. 

Contributor VegetableNomad went the extra mile, explaining, “I bought the ugliest luggage I could find,” which was lime green and zebra print. It’s easy to spot this on the luggage carousel, and they’ve never seen anyone else with it, so the chances of another traveler mistakenly picking it up — or trying to steal it — are slim. 

Others suggest bold stickers, colorful duct tape or ribbons on handles, and luggage covers or straps. After all, there’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination without your luggage.

Come Back to a Clean House

One way to beat the post-vacation blues is to return to a pristine environment and a home-cooked meal. Reddit user pri_ya recommends doing a deep clean before heading out and, above all else, having freshly pressed sheets on the bed. This allows you to walk in the door, drop your belongings, and relax after a long day of travel. Other users added that making a meal or two beforehand to store in the freezer (lasagna is a favorite) ensures a stress-free return with little to do but unwind and reminisce about your vacation.

On any given day, there are thousands of people working both in plain sight and behind the scenes to ensure every flight reaches its destination securely. This includes pilots, TSA officers, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and flight dispatchers, of course, but what about air marshals? These covert law enforcement officers, who are tasked with keeping order on a flight, often blend in with other passengers and spring into action if necessary, which makes it difficult to discern if there’s one on board. So, you may be curious: Are there air marshals aboard every flight, and if not, how frequently do they actually fly? Here’s everything you wanted to know about the Federal Air Marshal Service.

What Is the Federal Air Marshal Service?

The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) is an aviation law enforcement agency that falls under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which itself is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). But FAMS was founded long before the DHS was created in 2002.

Originally, FAMS was overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration when it was established on March 2, 1962. That day, 18 “Sky Marshals” were sworn in amid a stark rise in airplane hijackings, as it was believed their presence could help deter potential wrongdoing.

FAMS continued to operate on a modest scale until the early 21st century. There were only 33 air marshals nationwide at the time of the 9/11 attacks, but as airport security protocols increased in the wake of the attacks, so too did the air marshal program. The program has expanded to an estimated 3,000 air marshals today, increasing the likelihood of one popping up on any given flight.

What Do Air Marshals Do?

The role of an air marshal is multifaceted, but one of their main duties is to provide potential security support in the air. Air marshals fly undercover on a random selection of both domestic flights and international flights departing or landing on U.S. soil. 

Their role is to remain inconspicuous and blend in with the rest of the passengers, and they may even come up with a cover story to conceal their true identity. All the while, air marshals scan the cabin for potential threats, keeping an eye on any passengers who seem suspicious. Their identity is made known only to the pilots and some of the cabin crew before the flight, allowing for clear communication should anything go awry.

In the event of an attempted hijacking or other security incident, air marshals are trained to spring into action to protect the plane and its passengers. Air marshals are authorized to carry a gun and make arrests if necessary, and may deploy self-defense techniques or highly skilled firearms training to neutralize any threats.

But the duties of air marshals aren’t limited to just the air — they also perform key preventative measures on the ground. This includes risk analysis, investigative work into potential terrorism, the execution of arrest warrants, and providing testimonies in court related to national security. Their goal is to prevent any potential security threats from even making it onto the aircraft in the first place.

How Often Do Air Marshals Fly?

With roughly 45,000 daily flights in the United States and only around 3,000 air marshals, there simply isn’t enough manpower for there to be a law enforcement officer aboard every plane. The true percentage is likely in the low single digits, with some theorizing that it may be as little as a fraction of a single percent. It’s impossible for civilians to know the true number, given that there are certain details regarding the air marshal program that remain classified.

The TSA has revealed that the average air marshal flies roughly 15 days a month, spending around five hours aboard an aircraft each day. This amounts to about 900 hours of annual flight time for each air marshal. Air marshals also sometimes travel in pairs for added security, with as many as four on some higher-risk international flights. The more that air marshals travel in teams, the lower the number of flights with an air marshal aboard.

In 2014, USA Today interviewed former federal air marshal Clay Biles, who claimed air marshals flew aboard “less than one half percent of all U.S.-flagged aircraft.” Other estimates have put the number closer to 5% or 6%. Given what we know, the number of flights with an air marshal onboard is most likely in the high hundreds or low thousands on any given day.

Which Flights Have Air Marshals?

So, how does FAMS decide which flights need air marshals and which don’t? This is determined by an internal risk assessment formula that analyzes several factors that may increase the odds of a midflight issue arising. 

Factors taken into account include place of departure, type of aircraft, amount of fuel onboard, and destination. For example, if the plane is headed toward a war-torn country, then risk levels are likely to be higher due to that volatility. Or if a plane has a lot of fuel, then that may make it a more attractive option for possible hijackers. On the other hand, a domestic commuter flight between Dallas and Houston may be considered less risky, and thus the odds of an air marshal aboard are possibly lessened.

All told, the uncertainty itself provides a sense of security. The very possibility of there being an air marshal aboard the plane may be enough to deter any potential wrongdoers, keeping America’s skies safe for the 800 million-plus passengers who travel each year.

Cost is among the most important considerations when planning a trip, especially when heading abroad. It’s also complicated by exchange rates, which are confusing at first glance. For instance, knowing that one dollar is the same as 0.78 pounds is less helpful than knowing how many euros a sandwich costs in London. You’ll still have to do some mental calculations when visiting these five countries where the U.S. dollar goes the furthest in 2025, but you’ll be pleased with how far your budget takes you.

Japan

Japan has long been a favorite destination of travelers the world over, and with good reason. Cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto are among the most thrilling yet welcoming metropolises you can imagine, while Mount Fuji and other impressive natural wonders lure the outdoors-inclined to the country’s rural corners — not to mention the rejuvenating traditional onsen, or hot springs. 

Because the yen has been struggling lately, the country is receiving historic levels of visitors, particularly from America. The country recently set an all-time tourism record, with 36.9 million international visitors in 2024. You can walk into countless great restaurants in Tokyo and pay less than $10 for a meal right now, but make sure your trip is a mindful one: Japan is such a desirable location that it’s experiencing overtourism, in large part because of the exchange rate. One dollar will get you about ¥150 at the time of publication (late March 2025).

Colombia

In addition to being named one of Kiplinger’s best places to retire in 2024, Colombia is also among the countries where you’ll get the most bang for your buck for trips this year. One U.S. dollar comes out to about 4,130 Colombian pesos, with the average cost of food amounting to just $18 per day and a one-week trip costing $350 (not including airfare) for solo travelers.

Colombia’s wildlife and architecture make it one of the most attractive destinations in South America, while its status as the continent’s northernmost country means that your flight will be relatively short.

Hungary

Despite joining the European Union in 2004, Hungary has never adopted the euro. Its currency, the forint, was introduced in 1946 and currently trades for a fraction of a dollar — 1 USD will get you 366 HUF.

You’ll want to spend quite a few of those in Budapest, one of the most exciting cities in Europe. From the way its landmarks are lit up at night to its delicious food — yes, you have to try goulash and yes, it’s amazing — Hungary’s enchanting capital city gives more well-known spots like London and Paris a run for their money — of which you’ll have to shell out considerably more to visit.

South Africa

The South African rand isn’t just legal tender in its namesake country but also in the entire Common Monetary Area, which also includes Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia. First introduced in 1961, the rand comes in five banknotes: R10, R20, R50, R100, and R200.

In 2025, the exchange rate is quite favorable for Americans, as $1 will get you R18. Safaris, one of the main draws for travelers, are less expensive than you might think: Several will cost less than $200 for a daylong experience. Make sure to spend time exploring South Africa’s other wonders, too, from Table Mountain to the Blyde River Canyon, Earth’s largest “green” canyon.

Vietnam

As of March 2025, 1USD is equivalent to around 25,580 Vietnamese đồngs, whose name comes from the Sino-Vietnamese word for copper. The currency has depreciated over the last few years, and an average day in the country — including food, transit, accommodations, and sightseeing — will cost American visitors $67, according to travel website Budget Your Trip.

Considering the abundance of things to see and do in Vietnam — from natural wonders such as Ha Long Bay and the Marble Mountains to ancient cities like Hoi An — that can be considered an absolute bargain. 

Even for seasoned flyers, flight turbulence can be unsettling. Thankfully, injuries from turbulence are extremely rare, and planes these days are designed to withstand the most severe forms of turbulence. But it’s safe to say that few of us really enjoy flying through bumpy skies. If you’re an anxious flyer or perhaps just a curious one, you might be wondering which routes tend to experience the most turbulence. Thanks to a new report from aviation analytics website Turbli, we have answers. Check out the 10 flight routes in the U.S. that experienced the most turbulence on average in 2025. 

Most Turbulent Flights in North America

While turbulence can happen on any flight, some routes are more prone to choppy skies. This is often due to a variety of factors, particularly flight paths that pass over mountainous regions like the Rockies in North America, where the air is more unstable, or routes in areas where wind patterns tend to converge, such as the Intertropical Convergence Zone. 

Turbli’s report looked at a figure called the eddy dissipation rate (edr), which measures the intensity of atmospheric turbulence. Light turbulence has an edr between 0 and 20, moderate turbulence falls between 20 and 40, and strong turbulence clocks in between 40 and 60 edr. More rare is severe turbulence (60 to 80 edr) and extreme turbulence (80 to 100 edr).

In North America, these were the top 10 routes for turbulence, along with their average edr in 2025:

Most Turbulent Airports in North America

Notice a trend in the list? Flights out West tended to experience more turbulence than others, particularly routes that flew over the Rocky Mountains. Turbli also analyzed North American airports for their average incidence of turbulence during approach and descent (but not takeoff or landing, as that is often affected by crosswinds closer to ground), and the findings were similar.

The 10 airports in North America with the highest average turbulence in 2025 were:

Turbulence in Other Parts of the World

What about international routes? The most turbulent flight in the world in 2025 was from Mendoza, Argentina (MDZ), to Santiago, Chile (SCL). The route experienced an average edr of 22.983, about five points higher than the most turbulent route in North America. Four of the top 10 most turbulent global routes touched the South American continent, which is punctuated by the Andes (the world’s longest mountain range), while five of the top 10 turbulent flight routes were in China. The most turbulent flight route in North America, Denver to Jackson, ranked No. 10 globally.

For turbulent airports worldwide, Santiago’s airport took the top spot, experiencing average turbulence of 21.446 throughout the year. Denver, the most turbulent airport in the U.S., landed at No. 7 on the worldwide list with a 17.911 average edr.

Is Turbulence Happening More Often?

If you’ve been noticing bumpier flights lately, you’re not alone. According to reports, turbulence is on the rise. In particular, a type of turbulence called clear air turbulence — caused when different air masses traveling at different speeds and directions collide — is impacting more flights in recent years. 

A 2023 study from the University of Reading in the U.K. found double-digit increases in incidences of clear air turbulence over the past several decades, with some experts pointing to climate change and rising global air temperatures as a big factor in its rise. Troublingly, this type of turbulence (as its name suggests) happens in clear skies, and it’s trickier to predict. 

Still, as we’ve mentioned before, incidents resulting in injuries from turbulence are rare — some reports suggest that less than 1% of the atmosphere contains severe turbulence. But if you find yourself worried about bumpy skies ahead, try learning the “Jell-O Theory,” which pilots use to help explain the mechanics of flight turbulence to nervous flyers and why it’s rarely anything to worry about. 

No matter what you do, be sure to always follow crew member instructions and stay seated with your seat belt fastened while the sign is illuminated, for everyone’s safety. 

About the data: Turbli analyzed turbulence forecast data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.K.’s Met Office for approximately 10,000 popular flight routes across the world and 550 of the world’s largest airports. You can read more about their methodology and check out the full reports here. 

You’ve likely checked a bag on countless flights without giving it much thought. Except in rare cases, your bag will be waiting for you right there on the baggage carousel after you land. But have you ever wondered what exactly happens in the interim, and how airlines keep track of your luggage and so many other bags? Recent reports show that more than 99% of luggage arrives at its destination without being delayed or mishandled, suggesting that airlines have a sophisticated system in place to ensure success. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to your bag whenever you check it at the airport.

The Bag Check Process Begins

During check-in, either you’ll see an airport customer service agent, who can print and affix a luggage tag to your bag, or you’ll use a self-service kiosk to do the same before dropping it at the counter. The bag tag contains important information such as your name, the airline and flight number you’ll be flying on, and the airport code of where you and your bag will be flying to. 

These tags also feature barcodes that can be scanned by employees or computers to make the sorting and tracking process more efficient. The barcodes contain a baggage tag issuer code (known as a BTIC), a code for the baggage type, and your bag’s specific ID number. Once you’ve affixed the tag to your luggage, it’ll be sent down the conveyor belt for security screening, sorting, and loading onto the aircraft.

Security Screening

Usually, the first step of the process that happens behind the scenes is a security screening. Your checked luggage is run through an X-ray machine or CT scanner, and most bags are quickly sent on their way. 

In some cases, however, an agent may pull your bag aside to perform a physical inspection. Most times, this is just an added precaution, and once agents search the bag, they will zip up your luggage and send it on its way for sorting. 

Sometimes, however, security officers might find a prohibited item and either confiscate it, or notify airline representatives to discuss potential consequences with you. If any physical inspection is performed, TSA personnel will slip a notice into the luggage to alert you that a more thorough screening occurred behind the scenes.

Sorting Your Luggage

Once the luggage has passed the security inspection, it’s time for it to be sorted onto the right flight. Typically, an automated computer system scans the luggage tag in order to determine where the bag needs to go, before the bag is sent along the appropriate conveyor belt. 

At busier hubs, these conveyor belt systems can be massive. For example, at Toronto Pearson International Airport — Canada’s busiest airport — there are over 18 miles of conveyor belts, which carried more than 100,000 bags each day in 2019. Humans and security cameras monitor the system to ensure the bags are moving as they need to. In the event that your bag falls off the conveyor belt or another issue arises, the tag will be rescanned to gather information, after which the luggage is sent along once again to the appropriate destination.

If your flight isn’t for several hours, your luggage may be set aside in a safe location until it’s time to load it on the plane. Rest assured that employees are trained to keep a watchful eye on the luggage and security cameras to ensure that the luggage moves efficiently to where it needs to go.

Loading and Emptying the Plane

After the bags have been properly sorted, baggage handlers take the sorted luggage, load it onto a baggage cart, and drive it along the tarmac to the correct aircraft for loading prior to departure. 

At the other end of the journey, a different group of baggage handlers unloads the luggage from the aircraft upon arrival at the terminal and brings it to the airport’s baggage sorting system. Inside the sorting facility, the crew places all of the luggage onto a conveyor belt system that takes it to the baggage claim area. Each bag pops out of a chute and onto the appropriate baggage carousel, where passengers can pick it up — hopefully within a reasonable time frame — and continue on their journeys.

According to a report from The New York Times, it takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes on average after the airplane arrives at the gate for bags to reach the baggage claim area. The time frame is influenced by factors such as the size of the airport and how modern its sorting systems are. Some airlines, like Delta and Alaska, guarantee that customers will receive their bags in 20 minutes or less. If it takes longer, passengers can submit a claim for rewards miles or a voucher as compensation.

Potential Delays

While the checked baggage process often runs smoothly, there are some common mishaps that may cause delays. A staffing shortage may lead to longer wait times, as each crew member can only handle so many bags at once. Extreme weather conditions may also inhibit crew members from doing their job, as they won’t be able to bring luggage out onto the tarmac during lightning or a torrential downpour, for example.

Another issue that may arise? A traffic jam on the luggage conveyor belt. Loose bits of metal or string may get caught in the sorting mechanism, causing luggage to get stuck and even trapped in a large pile-up. 

Passengers can take precautions at home to lessen the likelihood that this happens, though. Toronto’s Pearson Airport recommends making sure that there are no loose straps dangling off the side of your bag — or any other features that may get caught up in the machine and potentially cause delays.

Lost Luggage: What Should You Do?

Though it’s a rare occurrence, in the event that your checked luggage gets delayed or lost, there are several steps you can take to track down your bag. 

Before heading to the customer service counter, however, try checking the airline’s app. Some airlines — including Southwest, American, Delta, and United — offer live baggage tracking on their apps, updating you on the status of your bag throughout its journey. Or you may be one step ahead of the airline and have already placed an Apple AirTag or a similar tracking device inside your luggage — something we recommend you always do when checking a bag.

But even if you’ve checked the app or spoken to an airline representative at the airport or on your phone, you may not be able to locate your bag right away. You may need to file a claim before leaving the airport. Be sure you receive a claim number and provide your contact and hotel or residence information, so you can check in on the airline’s progress in finding your luggage and they can promptly deliver it to you once it’s located.  

If you still haven’t received an update the next day, you may be eligible to file a claim to receive compensation for delayed or missing luggage. A claim can be filed in as little as 24 hours for most domestic flights, and a week for international travel. You can also contact the TSA directly for additional information, as they can investigate the claim and provide you with pertinent details should anything arise.