packing a ice chest/cooler on plane

[momof2forever]

Has anyone packed a cooler with snacks/food and checked it like you would your luggage for the plane? If so , did it work? Can I do this?
Thanks

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, you can do it, but the airline will have to see inside to verify that there is no ice in it. If possible, try to avoid shipping perishables (in case the baggage goes astray: getting it two days later full of rotten food wouldn't be fun) or glass containers/liquids, to avoid leaks.

Also, this would be subject to the usual size/weight limits, just like a suitcase.

 

[Disneybren]

Yes we have done this many times. You can not use ice but you may use the frozen freezer packs which work great and then you can get ice at your hotel. We use the cooler with sliding lid and after looking they just tape it up!

 

[Honeymooner04]

Speaking as a former flight attendant this just does not sound like a good idea. I'm all about saving money (I am pretty darn frugal and proud of it) but I would also be concerned about food spoiling. Then what if they lose your cooler? Then you're out all that money you spent on food because by the time they get it to you it's most definitately spoiled. This is just my opinion, I have no idea if the airlines actually have rules about this or not. I think you would be better off if you used a Garden Grocer or similar service or used a town car service from the airport with a grocery stop.

Have a great trip though!

 

[karliebug]

I have done this several times but have never put perishables in it, just cereal,crackers,snacks,etc. We buy our perishables when we get there.

 

[dawnball]

I'm planning on it for my next WDW flight. DD and I both have food intolerances, and while I can make do fairly well - she can't. So I'll be packing homemade gluten free mac and cheese, frozen pancakes and a few other staples in a 5 hour insulated bag with plenty of ice packs. Since it is soft sided and zipable I'll just put it inside a suitcase and it can be inspected by the TSA or whomever.

I don't know how you'd seal a regular cooler such that it could be TSA or airline inspected/resealed and not open with normal handling. Also, I'll be traving in December on a direct flight that's about an hour and a half gate to gate, and won't be using ME and will have a fridge/freezer to move the food to when I arrive. I wouldn't try this in the summer, with connections or with a significantly longer flight, although people have been successful with longer flights.

Another (more expensive, but more reliable) option might be to send it fedex overnight to your resort with plenty of ice packs and plenty of packing peanuts for insulation. Several of the online allergen grocers use that method to send frozen foods with good success.

 

[NHWX]

We've done it with empty coolers! Once we bought a collapsible one on vacation and just packed it flat into a duffle when we were done. Another time, we fully intended to leave a standard blue cooler with our BIL but we never got around to it, so we just brought it with us. They taped it at the airport and it came through fine.

I agree with the other posters though - if you're shipping food, I wouldn't spend too much on it just in case it does get lost. Despite all the security precautions of matching passengers and luggage, we've had trips where our luggage either went somewhere else or just waited to catch up to us.

NHWX

 

[GEM]

I don't know how you'd seal a regular cooler such that it could be TSA or airline inspected/resealed and not open with normal handling.

We've used a luggage strap with no problems.