The Flight Attendant-Approved Luggage Hack That Makes Airport Check Ins So Much Faster

Flight attendants are the ultimate travel pros. They fly two — and sometimes up to six — flights a day, often ending up at a destination far from home. So, if anyone knows the secret of stress-free travel with luggage, it's flight attendants. They know all the packing tricks to maximize space and keep things organized. However, they also possess a wealth of insider information about airlines and airports, allowing them to breeze through check-in and security, even when traveling as paying passengers. While there are plenty of hacks to shorten your time in a long check-in line, there's one way to avoid it entirely: Drop your bags off the day before your flight.

Some airlines and airports will let you check in the night before your flight, helping you avoid day-of-travel lines. This is especially handy for long layovers, freeing you up to go enjoy some time outside the airport. In some exceptional cases, you can even check your bags in early without leaving your home. So, where are these magical early check-in services? Sadly, U.S. airlines and airports rarely, if ever, allow you to drop off your bags early. The good news is that several savvy international carriers and airports do.

Dubai is a bustling airport with over 200,0000 passengers per day coming through this lively Middle Eastern hub with world-class museums and theme parks. Its flagship carrier, Emirates Airlines, offers a masterclass in luxury check-in options in Dubai. Passengers can not only check in the day before, but they can also check their bags in town at the Ajman Central Bus Terminal, Dubai Harbor, or the downtown City Check-In and Travel Store at Dubai International Financial Centre. If you pay, Emirates agents will even come to your home to weigh and check in your luggage.

Hong Kong International Airport also offers a city check-in service at both Hong Kong and Kowloon train stations. Singapore's ultra-efficient Changi Airport doesn't offer home pick-up, but it does have an early check-in desk for multiple carriers, available up to 24 hours before departure. In Europe, British Airways has an overnight baggage drop and check-in service at Heathrow, Gatwick, and airports in London, as well as Edinburgh and Glasgow. Even budget airline EasyJet offers what it calls the Twilight Bag Drop at your destination, where early-morning passengers can check their bags in the night before. At some European airports, there is also Airportr, a door-to-door check-in service that allows you to skip the check-in line and the long wait for your bags at the luggage carousel.

So, what are American air carriers and airports waiting for? Both United and American offer a luggage delivery service, allowing passengers to skip baggage claim and head straight home to await their bags. So far, however, there is no overnight or home check-in. You'll have to check back with those clever flight attendants to find out tips and tricks they use when flying incognito in the U.S.