If you’ve flown in a plane recently, you may have seen suitcases and luggage covered in layers of plastic wrap at the airport. While atypical here in the United States, stretch-wrapping your luggage is rather commonplace within international travel. Travelers swear by the film’s ability to keep their goods clean, safe from theft, and secure from accidental openings.

While services are available to stretch wrap your luggage for you, you can save some time and money by doing it yourself. In this intercontinental article, we will cover how to wrap your luggage and what to expect when traveling with wrapped luggage.

We’ve also made a how-to video you can follow along to:

Select Your Wrap

Before you pack, you want to make sure you’re using the right plastic wrap for luggage. Standard suitcases rarely exceed 2½ feet (76cm) in height, so a roll of hand wrap or mini wrap will do the job just fine.

You should also consider the thickness of the wrap you’re purchasing. Stretch wrap thickness is typically measured in gauge, which is one-hundred-thousandths of an inch, or 0.25% the width of human hair. 80-90 gauge is considered the average thickness for stretch wrap.

For extra security, consider either upgrading to a higher-gauge wrap or to a high performance wrap, which offers the strength of 80/90 gauge, but at lower gauges.

Wrap Your Luggage

Begin by securing the end of the wrap around a handle, at the bottom of the luggage, or into the luggage itself. Alternatively, you can hold the end of the film and wrap a single layer around the luggage, letting the film self-cling to the end so that you can continue wrapping.

Fully wrap your luggage top-to-bottom and side-to-side in 3 or 4 layers of stretch wrap. Remember to apply some tension to the film as you wrap so it can better cling to and secure your luggage. When you are done wrapping, tear the film from the roll and secure the self-clinging film to itself. For extra security, you can apply a strip of tape to the end of the film.

Once your luggage is fully wrapped, cut out holes for your handles and wheels. Be sure to cut carefully to avoid damaging your luggage or compromising the wrap itself.

Traveling With Wrapped Luggage

The first thing you need to know about traveling with stretch-wrapped luggage is that airport security reserves the right to cut off your wrapping for screenings and inspections. This is not guaranteed to happen to you, as most luggage simply passes through the X-ray and carries on to their destination.

However, if your luggage contains any unusual materials or raises suspicion, security might open it up. And stretch-wrapped luggage can raise suspicion, depending on where you’re traveling. Unfortunately, you may not have an opportunity to rewrap your luggage once security cuts it off.

With that being said, bring a roll of stretch wrap with you, if you can—this is where mini wraps come in handy. Not only will you be able to rewrap your luggage at the airport if you get the chance, but you can also wrap your luggage when preparing to travel from your destination back home.

Finally, if security is such a major concern for you, consider purchasing a TSA-approved suitcase lock to keep your zippers closed and your goods held firmly inside.

That’s a Wrap

Stretch-wrapping your luggage is a simple, yet smart way to keep your belongings safe and clean when traveling internationally. And since the film is transparent, it’s easy to spot your goods at baggage claim. Of course, you can always get some colored stretch wraps if you’re more interested in color coordination.

Airports offer stretch wrapping services that can bypass the risk of security cutting it off. But you can save yourself the time and money by just doing it at home. As long as you have the right plastic wrap for luggage and wrap your stuff well, you and your possessions should make it to your destination clean, safe, and in one piece.

For more information on international packaging, check out our article on the factors you should consider when shipping internationally.