If you have an extremely long layover, you might want to ditch the airport and go explore the city, but dragging luggage along with you can make for a cumbersome exploration. Luckily, most airports have a left luggage service where for a fee bags can be stored at the airport and retrieved before a flight.

Call the airport to see if there's a left luggage facility, the hourly and daily rates, and where it's located in the airport.

Once you've collected your bags after deplaning, take the bags to the left luggage facility and present them to an agent. Have a picture ID on hand to present to the left luggage agent.

Attach your name, address, phone number and other pertinent information to the bag. Check that the bag is properly zipped up and, if security allows, locked.

Find out the facility's opening and closing hours, as most are not open 24 hours. Plan enough time before your flight to retrieve your luggage in case there are long lines.

Check your luggage early onto your next flight if there isn't a left luggage facility at the airport. Time restrictions vary for each airline on how soon you can check a bag before the flight, so call ahead to find out.

Things You Will Need

  • Picture ID

  • Lock and key