5 travel hacks from TikTok that airlines don’t love you knowing about

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Whether for leisure or work, traveling can be a rewarding experience if you know how to prepare effectively. Thankfully, today’s travelers can easily access a wealth of travel on social media.

From discovering the best places to eat and local cultural hotspots, to finding hacks on efficient flying and safety in unfamiliar areas, there’s no shortage of travel assistance available online.

Below, we’ve gathered five of the most helpful tips found on TikTok and the internet at large. Let’s dive in!

How to avoid losing your baggage

Lost baggage is a nightmare for anyone flying, but there are ways to prevent it.

The official TikTok account for Ontario International Airport (@flyontairport) shared a useful tip from a baggage handler to help avoid this issue.

In the video, the baggage handler explains that problems can come from old baggage stickers.

“Let’s say you flew American and a month later you flew Southwest,” he says. “Well, there’s a little sticker that goes on for American that tells the computer to go there. There’s a chance it scans [the old one] instead of the new one…and not get on the plane.”

The key takeaway? Always remove old baggage tags before you check your luggage.

If you can, carry your luggage with you to minimize the risk. But if you must check it in, make sure you’ve removed the previous travel stickers to prevent any mix-ups.

How to dodge the TSA

According to TikToker Megan (@megansbubble), extra TSA checks aren’t as random as you might think, and there are ways to avoid them.

In a recent video, Megan holds up a boarding pass and points out the four capital S’s, ‘SSSS,’ explaining that this code means you’ve been flagged by the TSA, which is why you might get stopped frequently.

However, Megan found a solution: Filing a formal complaint on the TSA website and obtaining a redress number from the TSA.

She mentioned that getting a redress number was straightforward; she simply provided specific information and dates regarding the additional screenings and received it promptly.

She clarifies that this advice is specifically for people who face frequent additional screening unfairly, even if they’ve followed the rules of air travel to a tee.

How to avoid paying for a checked bag

If you travel frequently and don’t want to pay for a checked bag every time, TikTok creator Nicole Nina (@hutravelstheworld), has a tip for you in one of her recent videos.

Nina begins by clarifying that this hack will only work for select airlines, saying, “This is only for airlines like United, American, Lufthansa, Iberia, whatever. This isn’t for like Spirit, RyanAir, EasyJet.”

All you need to do, according to her is, “Check in online and then just download [your ticket] to your phone and then go through security,”

“Go to your gate, and then just be like, ‘Can I check this bag?’ ‘Cause they’ll usually ask people if anyone wants to check the bag anyways because there’s never enough room,” she explains. “And then they’ll just do it for free, and that literally just happened to me.”

A must-have for cruise lines

TikTok creator Professor Melissa (@professormelissa) suggests always having one essential item when you go on a cruise: a ziplock bag.

According to Melissa, a ziplock bag can be incredibly useful for several reasons. “One, it’s great to have to keep and store food in your stateroom for late-night snacks,” she says, demonstrating by packing a pastry from the buffet into the bag.

Another benefit of carrying a Ziplock bag, Melissa states, is bringing snacks from the ship with you on port days. This way, you won’t have to spend money on meals outside when there’s perfectly fresh food available on the ship.

How to stay safe in hotels

Checking into a hotel might seem like a routine part of your trip, but TikToker Patrice (@patricejwill) highlights a crucial safety tip to be aware of during this process.

Patrice advises that if the check-in agent announces your room number aloud while others are present, you should immediately request a different room.

“There is no reason at all for someone who works at the hotel to say your room number out loud,” she says. “They should just be able to slide you your key.”

Although Patrice clarifies that this advice is mostly directed toward women, especially those traveling alone, the risk of others overhearing your room number applies to everyone.

“Politely let that person know,” she says. “‘Hey, can I change my room?’ You don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”