Checking bags with American Airlines

I've flown International with bottles scotch/whiskey with AA and I was flagged by customs. Also flew Southwest from California with 8 bombers, TSA flagged my bags for a search. Everything went well other then those 2 little hiccups nothing was broken or confiscated. I just wouldn't lock the bag and make sure you pack it super good.

 

13 or 14 bombers is probably going to be close to the weight limit (50lbs). I've had no problems the many times I've flown with checked beer. And in my experience TSA is likely to search my bags regardless of what I've packed in them, probably 75% of the time I've flown in the past three years.

 

I bought one of these at Home Depot for $14 to bring beer home from Alaska in February. I zip tied it closed at all six points and taped extra zip ties on the underside of the lid with a note to TSA saying something to the effect of ...I understand you'll probably need to search this container, it contains 18 bottles of craft beer. Please repack carefully and use the zip ties provided to re-seal the box. Thank you for keeping us safe.... (note: brown-nosing never hurts when trying to avoid breakage caused by a shitty repacking job on the part of TSA) I wrapped each bottle in bubble wrap and threw in a bunch of clothes to make everthing snug in there and then weighed it in the hotel gym to make sure it was under 50 lbs. When I got home there was a TSA pamphlet in there and a few bottles had been rewrapped with TSA logo tape around them, but all was well. Can't remember, but I think I flew Delta.

 

I fly OFTEN... always with AA. To be honest, i have not gottent the TSA card in my luggage for a few months... closer to maybe 6, oddly enough. But yeah, I just came back from Omaha with 140 pounds (had to upgrade to first class for the weight) but no issues. had at least 20 bombers in 1 bag.

 

I fly very frequently and travel with beer a good,. . . .uh..100% of the time! My bags get checked by TSA about 75% of the time, maybe a bit more. I generally use a cheap duffel (since it's light) and lots of bubble wrap. I also carry a hand held digital scale to make sure of the weight and it's always been very accurate. TSA has never been a problem, even when the entire bag is beer.

Note: When flying out of Grand Rapids with a hoard of Founders the TSA guy started to inspect the bag right right in front of me. I commented to him that each wrapped item was a bottle of beer, in case he wanted to know (and not unwrap all of them!) He said that so many people fly out of Grand Rapids with Founders beer that he inspects such bags multiple times a day and generally wraps the bottles back up better than the original packer! He was right. On getting home he'd actually improved upon my packing, much of it with TSA tape. All in all, I've gotten to the point where I really don't mind - they seem to do a great job.

 

Just did it with AirTran...it was fine.

 

I'm flying out of Chicago Monday with TONS of beer and was wondering if I need to do anything Special flying American Airlines. I was just going to get a moving box and use a crap load of bubble wrap. Is this going to be okay? Idk how strict they are

 

My brother just came in from Denver and checked in a box of beer. They guy asked him what it was, my brother said it was good beer. The check-in guy just said "aweeeeesome". No problems, nada.

We have been using the same box for awhile now. Something like this - http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...&gadtype=pla&gclid=COSs1IyqoLMCFek7Ogod9CAAAg

 

Awesome. Thanks for the info!

 

Absolutely agree with the idea of including a note. I've had a friend do this in the past and take a dedicated suit case on trips just for beer, left a note in the bag along the same lines as what you suggest, and there's never been a problem.

As a side thought, this is an invaluable travel accessory I've discovered when flying with a individual box(es) of beer, it's so much easier to carry this stuff (bought a few at my local FedEx / Kinkos):

http://strapahandle.com/

 

Just did this with aa last week and getting ready to do it in the a.m. On way down I had a growler, 2 750mls, 2 22ozers and 14 singles. On way back its a combo of 12 750ml and 22oz. Weight on way down was around 39 - expecting about the same weight tomorrow.

 

I was on an American Airlines flight and in my checked luggage bag I had four bottles of Pliny, a bottle of Hoptologist, a bottle of Diabhal, two bottles of IPA 395 and a bottle of Primo. After the plane landed the workers set up the conveyor belt onto the plane and started taking the bags out. The employee down on the ground grabbed the first piece (which looked like mine), lifted it a few times like it was a ez curl, then just ruthlessly threw it to the ground. The dude behind me was watching as well and flipped out, screaming "Did anyone else see that? This guy just threw that bag down on the cement!" I did indeed see it, and was feeling an intense rage build up inside. This dude made a formal complaint and I just ranted like a madman to the people at the gate. It turned out it wasn't my bag though, and all my stuff was OK... the hops on the Pliny were just a little faded, that's all.

 

I've done it with United, US Airways, and JetBlue multiple times with no issues, but haven't flown American ever.

 

I've packed bottles in checked luggage many times on flights, American included. Never had any issues, I just left a collection of all the TSA bag checked notices in my suit case, had 8 or 9 of them in there at one point.