Luggage Checked: New LugLess Survey Unpacks Americans’ Travel Luggage Habits as Summer Approaches

Affordable luggage shipping provider’s survey reveals 58% of Americans are interested in luggage shipping services

Most Americans still check a bag, but they are warming up to a simpler option. LugLess’s 2025 Travel Survey of 1,019 U.S. travelers found that 69% check a bag at least sometimes, while 58% are interested in shipping their luggage instead to skip the lines and the fees.

Here is what travelers told us, at a glance:

Travel habit (2025)	What the survey found
Plan to fly this year	87% (one to six flights)
Flying more than last year	45%
Check a bag, always or sometimes	69%
Interested in shipping luggage	58%
Prefer black luggage	43%
Clean their luggage after every use	53%

Taking insights from 1,019 U.S. consumers, ages 18 to 65+, the survey found that 87% plan to take between one and six flights over the course of this year. In fact, 45% of respondents intend to fly more this year compared to last, with many citing increased business travel (34%), more personal events (56%), and continued interest in playing “travel catch-up” post-COVID (30%) as reasons why. Most of this travel will occur during the summer — 46% of respondents confirm it will be their most traveled season.

• Looks matter to travelers when it comes to their luggage

  Appearances matter even when using luggage, from its color to the brand used. The results show that while 36% of consumers aren’t luggage loyalists, 30% buy Samsonites and another 10.5% prefer Travelpro. When choosing a color for luggage, most consumers (43%) will likely opt for black over bold colors, like red, yellow, green, and pink — less than 20% of respondents prefer colorful luggage options.

  Regardless of the brand or color, a majority of respondents prioritize the cleanliness of their bags, with 53% cleaning their luggage after every use and 29.7% cleaning their luggage on occasion. That being said, some consumers’ bags are past the point of no return, with 14% admitting to pretending luggage wasn’t theirs to avoid embarrassment.

• Check, please! Travelers prefer checking bags over carrying them

  Despite higher costs, many American travelers prefer checking their bags at the airport, with 69% always or occasionally checking a bag. Forty-five percent do so to have a hands-free airport experience. Travelers who opt out of checking bags find the process too expensive (42%), time-consuming (42%), or unreliable (39%).

  When it comes to when travelers start packing their bags, the timelines vary. Forty-six percent pack well in advance to ensure they have what they need for their trip, with nearly 18% packing one full week ahead. For travelers who prefer preparing last minute, 16% pack for a trip the morning of.

  To help the packing process go smoothly, 49% of respondents lay everything they’ll pack for a trip out at once. Some travelers (11%) are even turning to AI to help them curate a suggested packing list.

• Ship or schlep: Travelers take on luggage shipping

  Whether checking or carrying luggage, both options can lead to travelers having to wait in long lines or schlep their bags across airport terminals. To avoid that, luggage shipping is emerging as an alternative for travelers to have a stress-free journey, with 45% of respondents hearing of the service. And interest is strong once people learn about it, with 58% of respondents expressing intrigue.

  Of those interested in shipping luggage, 26% would use it to skip the airport check-in line, while 37.2% would like it if it were guaranteed to be cheaper than checked-bag fees. Travelers are also open to exploring the service when traveling with family (42%) or attending special events (32%), with 47% believing luggage shipping would make for a stress-free experience.

  Despite the interest in luggage shipping, travelers still have concerns over the new travel tactic, including:

  – 51% worry the service would be too expensive
  – 48% fear bags won’t arrive on time
  – 29% believe this could disrupt their pre-departure packing process

  “As travel continues to surge in 2025, travelers are prioritizing both convenience and comfort — and that extends to how they handle their luggage,” said Audrey Kohout, co-CEO of LugLess. “Our latest survey shows that while most travelers are still checking bags, many are looking for easier, more reliable alternatives. With nearly 60% of respondents expressing interest in luggage shipping, it’s clear that people are ready for a streamlined, cost-effective way to travel — one that skips the lines, lightens the load, and reduces stress from takeoff to touchdown.”

Frequently asked questions

Do most Americans check or carry on their bags?

Most check. In the LugLess 2025 Travel Survey, 69% of travelers said they always or occasionally check a bag, and 45% do it for a hands-free airport experience.

Are travelers interested in shipping their luggage instead?

Yes. 58% of respondents were interested in luggage shipping once they learned about it, and 47% believed it would make for a stress-free trip. Here is how it works.

Why do some travelers avoid checking bags?

Among travelers who skip the counter, 42% find it too expensive, 42% too time-consuming, and 39% unreliable. Shipping your suitcases ahead sidesteps all three.

When do most people start packing for a trip?

It varies widely. 46% pack well in advance (nearly 18% a full week ahead), while 16% wait until the morning of departure.

Methodology
The Propeller Insights Survey commissioned by LugLess surveyed 1,019 U.S. citizens, ages 18 and over, across the U.S. in February 2025. The LugLess survey responses were representative of the U.S. population for age, gender, region, and ethnicity. The maximum margin of sampling error was +/- 3.0 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.