The “come fuck me shoes” weigh me down every time. I do pack 10 lbs lighter because everything absorbs moisture and is heavier on the way back. We have never waited for bags in Cancun. St. Louis flights are usual first in the morning. We fly through customs, buy Grey Goose (1800, wine, RedBull)and bags are there. Then USA Transfers is waiting....13 days.
My wife and I bring 3 full suitcases every trip. This year, we're trying to use one lightweight bag for all clothing, and a second hard case bag for her 19 pairs of shoes,and the "accessories" we bring for our trip! We'll see how that goes, but the one thing about vacation I hate is forgetting things at home OR stress, so if that means trying to cram things into two suitcases, I'll bring a third!
For the ladies, if you are really squeezed on baggage weight, fill the pockets of your travelling jacket and purse with any jewellery or accessories that are heavy. Also, Donald makes a good point: check with your airline whether they have a weight restriction for carry on, and if not, pack all the heavier items in the carry on. Some airlines have carry-on weight restrictions, but never enforce them. I fly WestJet, and have never had them weigh my carry-on. If you fly with a particular airline regularly, you'll know what their practice is. Don't bring any expensive jewellery to TTR, as it may get damaged or lost (or damaged, then lost). I have a set of inexpensive necklaces, bangles, etc. just for trips to Mexico. So if I break/lose jewellery during drunken shenanigans, I just shrug and carry on. During one of my trips, a woman lost her engagement ring in the Sexy Pool (hands in cool water = fingers shrink = ring slides off). So I will only wear my wedding band so I don't have to stress about my diamond. Tip for Canadians (especially western Canadians): the WestJet World Elite MasterCard is really a great deal, as for $119 per year, you get a cheap companion ticket each year, AND on every flight you take you get a free first bag for the cardholder and everyone in your party who is booked on the same reservation. Sean's flight from Vancouver to Cancun only cost $299 instead of $735 with the companion ticket, and there's a decent WJ Dollars earn rate on the card. So with just one trip, the savings on Sean's flight and our 2 bags has paid off the annual fee, and I'm ahead by almost $300. And you get $250 WJ Dollars just for signing up! Sorry, I know I'm getting off topic, but I think the card benefits make it a complete no-brainer even if you only fly WJ once a year, so I wanted to pass that along.
Great tip! Credit cards are a great way to get one or more bags checked free. We have the Delta reserve card and get all bags checked free on Delta and partners (Aeromexico). Depending on the card (and the cost) you also get lounge access and companion Tix.
We just pay the $25 bucks each way (United) for a 50 lb checked suitcase. That way we are sure we have enough clothing options. We're cool with paying $50 bucks and knowing we have everything we need for a week. We do pack all of our shoes and mugs in a backpack though. But I can also understand saving a few bucks and doing only carry ons. We used to fly Spirit ( The "just get you there" airlines that always has the cheapest airfare) until they went insane with the checked and carry-on fees.
So we have travelled both ways, and come to the conclusion that keeping up with bags in the airport sucks. We get to the airport early, check in, get a drink, wonder around, get a drink, shop, get a drink, get on the plane, get a drink...lol. Not having a bag to lose far outwieghs the 15 minute wait for a checked bag. That's just us. Just go often enough to try each way and see what works for you!
We toyed witht he idea of going with just carry-on luggage one time while we were chilin' in the Sexy Pool with a few other people. In the end, the genral consensus reached was... the extra 15 minutes in he airport spent dealing with luggage was far, far outweighed by having the stuff you wanted, when you wanted it, without having to either go a'hunting for it at this store or that flea market, and perhaps having to pay an outrageous price for something they Know is in high demand right there around the hotel zone (e.g. sunscreen). Besides, shoes are heavy. My Sz. 13.5s are just plain big and pack a wallop on the shoulder, and Stacia's high heels collection sometimes needs its own ssuitcase. But, here's the thing on those shoes: She "feels" sexy as hell in them, so when she feels sexy, she Acts sexy, which is always good for me. I'm good with 15 minutes at the airport. Ya gotta wait on the customs/immigration lines anyway, so it's not like you are International Man of Mystery-ing it right out the door.
the 2 tubes of suntan lotion you don't have to buy will pay for the baggage wait?? never more then 5 minutes at the airport
