Does Wrapping Your Luggage Make It More Secure? TSA Weighs In

It’s a common sight at any airport around the world — wrapping stations offering “additional protection” at a cost. The price can vary anywhere from $15 to $30 or more, with the more expensive options typically offering some sort of travel insurance. Most people wrap their luggage because they feel it’s safer, but is this true? I spoke with Saraiah Davis, transportation security manager, and Lorie Dankers, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to find out. 

How TSA Handles Wrapped Luggage

Your suitcase has quite the journey from the baggage counter to your aircraft. When you check your bag at a U.S. airport, it goes through an explosive detection system. This is a 3D scanner that can identify anything that could be a potential explosive. “If the technology flags the bag, the 3D X-ray image is sent to a TSA officer to review,” explains Dankers. “TSA officers look at hundreds of X-ray images, so they know what common items look like on the X-ray screen.” The technology doesn’t single out any bags that have been wrapped, so that won’t prevent a bag from being opened if it does get flagged. 

After reviewing the image, the officer can either clear it and send the bag to the airline or flag it for a physical inspection. Only 5 percent of bags are opened for physical inspection, so it’s a much smaller number than you might think. In the physical inspection, the officers will open up the suitcase by any means necessary. If your bag is wrapped, the wrapping will need to be cut to do the examination. Davis explained that all baggage inspection rooms have CCTV cameras with heavy accountability, so there’s never a concern about theft.

When wrapped baggage is cut for inspection, it doesn’t get rewrapped. The wrapping will either get thrown away or taped together, but it won’t be the same as it originally was. Davis says that most bag wrapping typically occurs on international flights, as travelers want that added layer of protection. Sometimes, bags are in bad condition and are wrapped to keep them together. If one of these bags needs to be opened and cannot safely reach the final destination, the TSA will contact the airline to notify the passenger about the status of their bag and where to retrieve it. 

Bottom Line

It’s generally not recommended to wrap your bag, as it doesn’t provide any substantial benefits that can justify the added cost. If you want extra protection for your luggage while it’s in transit, you should purchase a suitcase with a TSA-approved lock. This way, if your suitcase needs to be opened for whatever reason, they can do so easily. The only real benefit wrapping your bag could offer is protection against regular wear and tear, and this is only a real concern if you want to keep your suitcase looking brand-new. Otherwise, stick with a TSA-approved lock and enjoy your summer travels.