Checking Cooler as checked luggage?

[billysarmywife]

I was wondering if anyone has done this? I was thinking about doing this.....and filling it with boxed foods like pop tarts ect....as we are traveling with a child and it would be nice to have these things in the room?

Maybe I am totally off my rocker by even thinking of doing this............but I thought it was worth asking....

Thanks~Kristi

Edited to add that it is not a soft sided cooler....it is a reg cooler.......

 

[Patsfan7]

We always check our soft sided cooler. I put our toiletrees in it, and our hair dryer, the diapers etc. Then, when all that stuff is out in the room, we use it with ice for our nightly milk, and cream for our coffee, leftovers, etc. Good luck.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I guess it would depend on how you fasten it. If you secure it with duct tape or something it will probably do fine. I would provide come cushion for the pop-tarts.

Earlier this year my husband and I were checking out of our hotel and we had a brown grocery bag with about 6-8 bottles of water in it. Try as we might, we could not give them away. Finally I set the bag down in the lobby while I went to the rest room. When I returned, our driver had arrived and my husband was in the car and the luggage was all loaded. Imagine my surprise to see that the paper bag had found its way into the trunk.

Over my protests, my husband decided to check the bag to see what would happen. The lady at the counter taped it up for him. Sure enough, it was the first item to come off the line at the baggage carosel!

 

[minniebeth]

We've done this several times with a medium sized soft-sided cooler...no problem! (We used it for small box cereals and snacks that were not crushable.) It is so nice to have the cooler while down there, even with a mini-fridge!

 

[Cleokitty]

We did this last year when we went to Montana for two weeks. We had a large cooler w/wheels and a pop up handle. We put the girls' car seats in it and bought one of those luggage straps that clip. We wrapped the luggage strap around the cooler, clipped it shut and wheeled it up to the checked baggage area. Then, when we got our rental car, we took the car seats out and headed to the nearest Wa-Mart to load up with fruit, yogurt, milk, etc. It was great! We didn't have to buy car seats or a cooler when we got there!

 

[salmoneous]

I guess it would depend on how you fasten it. If you secure it with duct tape or something it will probably do fine.

Don't rely on duct tape. If TSA needs to look in the cooler, they will cut the tape. They will probably reseal it, but you don't want to have to trust them. I'd go with bungies or straps.

PS - Love the water story.

 

[tacomaranch]

We use to pack a cooler almost everywhere but that was before 9/11. I will be packing a small soft side with Milk for my son as he has to have it. Also our french vanilla coffee mate and some fruit. I too need comfort food from home.