How to check a cooler as luggage?

[MapleMoon]

Can anyone give tips on how to prepare/secure a cooler in order to check it with an airline as a piece of luggage? We want to bring a cooler along (pack it with some snacks, then add ice at Disney resort) ... but how should I close it up for airline security? I hear they don't like locks on anything. If we use duct tape and wrap it around the cooler, will they slice thru the duct tape? Any suggestions would be most welcome!

 

[Krissalee]

I haven't checked a cooler, but my dad has, as recently as November. He told me that they left the cooler unsealed. It was hand checked at the check-in. The airline employees searched it there, and then he duct taped it closed for transport. You may want to check with your specific airline about their procedure, but my dad had no problem doing this when flying from NJ to TX.

 

[j-me]

or you could get a soft-cooler. The ones that look like a lunch bag. They make ones that are quite large.
We are taking one and it packs in the suitcase.

 

[NotUrsula]

Ice and dry ice are prohibited in the cargo compartment except in registered freight shipments that use special packaging. When you check a hard-side cooler as baggage, the interior MUST be visually inspected by airline personnel before it will be accepted, to verify that there is no ice or dry ice inside.

That is separate from TSA inspection. If TSA sees anything suspicious when the bag is xrayed, they will cut the tape to get it open, primarily to check for possible explosives. Your best bet is to put the content in a trash bag that you tie closed after the airline employee has inspected it, and then hold down the cooler lid using a luggage strap. That can be removed and re-strapped any time anyone needs to inspect the cooler. Having the content in a trash bag means that you can easily pull it out at your destination in order to get your ice in.

You should not check frozen meats, fresh fruits or veggies, or liquids in glass or soft containers (like juice pouches, for example); if the cooler gets lost the perishables could rot, and glass/pouches of liquids might leak if the container is dropped. Also, frozen meats (or any kind, really, such as a cured salami) are very dense, and will trigger suspicion on the part of TSA.

 

[MapleMoon]

thank you all for the tips ... we were planning on putting dry foods/snacks such as cereal and such in the cooler, then filling it up with cold goods from a grocery store in Orlando. And I'll look around for one of those soft-sided coolers. I just didn't know they came in larger sizes! thanks again to all

 

[swilshire]

I got a large one at Kohls that you can fold down to fit into a suitcase, use as a carry-on, or check. When we flew out to Denver, we filed it with drinks and sandwich stuff for the long flight and took it as a carry-on. On the way back, we filled it with dirty clothes and checked it. It has a retractable handle like many other carry-on bags.

While we were there, we would fill it with our lunch stuff each day and have terrific picnics in the national parks. I think this is the only time we've really used it, but it was worth every cent for the one trip.

Sheila

 

[rhiansmom]

Last time we checked one of those coolers that you plug in and thus don't need ice. We filled it with dry foods going and ended up using the space for clothing upon returning. We used duct tape to secure it both ways and it made it fine.