Question about suitcases going to USA

TheBigBad

I am going to USA for 5 nights and will likely be buying and bringing back a lot of souvenirs (Star Wars Weekend at Walt Disney World).

Obviously 5 days worth of clothes does not take up much space in a suitcase but I was also planning on taking a smaller, spare case. I was thinking of putting my clothes into the small case and then putting that inside the larger case. I assume airport scanners would pick up on this and it may look odd.

Would this be considered acceptable or would it arouse too much suspicion? Obviously on a short trip I dont want to be spending hours at airport security.

Thanks in advance.

djp64

I've done it load of times and never been stopped / questioned.

Debbie

TheBigBad

brilliant, thanks

littlereddevil

Me too, never a problem

ferf1223

me three, every trip to the US we do this though with a medium inside a large.

vegasvisitor

Me as well! Less commonly now that the luggage allowance is only 1 hold item per person on our flights. This year we need to buy a new case, so we expect we'll just get one in Vegas....meaning we'll go with one and come back with two.

provista_2

The way we do it is pack one side of the case with clothes that will not be coming home with us. This may be old clothes which we keep until we go rather than donating over here, then we donate them over there.
This also has the advantage that your luggage is of similar weight going and coming back so looks like you have not spent over your allowances

silvercar

provista wrote: »

The way we do it is pack one side of the case with clothes that will not be coming home with us. This may be old clothes which we keep until we go rather than donating over here, then we donate them over there.
This also has the advantage that your luggage is of similar weight going and coming back so looks like you have not spent over your allowances

I very much doubt that customs could find the weight of your outbound case to prove/ disprove that you bought over your allowance!

InsideInsurance

Never heard of weight being used on suitcases either. We've done both of taking clothes to overseas family so coming back much lighter and picking up a load of old books etc from family and bringing them back. Neither would have had any issues for UK Customs but neither were stopped.

Bag in a bag is fine. Just remember that ideally you want to lock them with a TSA compatible lock so that if the US guys want to check they can without having to damage anything

Sharon87

I'd suggest you take a small case small enough for hand luggage on the way back. Then you have more allowance! You can take a suitcase and a handbag onto most flights. Or at least with BA and Virgin you can (the ones I've flown to USA with)

LondonDreamer

provista wrote: »

The way we do it is pack one side of the case with clothes that will not be coming home with us. This may be old clothes which we keep until we go rather than donating over here, then we donate them over there.
This also has the advantage that your luggage is of similar weight going and coming back so looks like you have not spent over your allowances

I wouldn't worry about that last part. My last trip to Australia was with a single 14kg suitcase between us, we came back with two 20kg suitcases plus 7kg carry ons each. So 40kg more than the outbound flight. No customs issues.

But the old clothes is a good idea if it's something you were going to get rid of soon anyway, and can't increase the amount of baggage you're bringing back.