Avoid Unwanted Breakages With These Top Tips For Safely Traveling With Your Laptop

Nowadays, most of us live in some part through our devices. From socialization to work and beyond – most of it now happens online. Hence why, if you’re heading away anytime soon, you may be keen to keep your most-used devices with you. 

Traveling with a laptop is a particularly popular option. It has benefits including the ability to sign on and work from wherever you are. Whether you’re taking an extended trip or are simply keen to keep in touch with the office, this is a great way to make money while you travel. The ability to immediately connect with your people can also rid you of the dreaded loneliness that might otherwise accompany solo travel. 

There’s just one problem – taking your laptop on a flight fills you with fear about unwanted breakages. This is a delicate piece of kit, after all, and both the expense and upheaval of any damage are unappealing. 

Luckily, thousands of travelers now take their laptops along for the ride without issues. Keep on reading to find out how they manage it. 

# 1 - Keeping Laptops Close

You naturally want to keep your laptop safe throughout your trip, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to do that if you let it out of your sight. Packing a laptop into your checked bags at the airport is a particularly fatal mistake, as luggage handlers simply aren’t expecting expensive electronics and won’t handle those bags as delicately as you require. Not to mention that there is always a risk of lost luggage with checked bags.

Instead, always pack your laptop into your hand luggage, which you should keep by your feet throughout your flight. Where possible, avoid placing your laptop bag in overhead storage, especially if that storage isn’t directly above your seat. 

If cabin staff do request that you pack your bag away, remove your laptop before doing so to avoid unwanted knocks or the risk of theft. 

# 2 - Think About Personal Safety

Keeping your laptop close is one step towards avoiding unwanted theft at the airport, but remember – cybercriminals don’t need direct access to your devices to get their hands on your information. There are now a multitude of ways for thieves to steal everything from your credit card details to your personal information by simply recognizing that you have a laptop in your airport bag. 

As such, it’s also vital to think about personal safety when traveling with a device containing so much sensitive information. You’ll particularly want to take RFID-blocking measures, which can protect your personal information from electronic skimming devices. Faraday bags like those discussed on https://bestfaradaybags.com/ are perhaps the best option for complete protection here. You could also invest in hand luggage with RFID-blocking pockets that serve much the same purpose. 

Think, too, about steps that could prevent physical laptop theft, like lockable zippers that contain either an interlocking system or a TSA-approved combination lock. 

# 3 - Request a Hand Check

While airport security ultimately keeps everyone safe, sending your laptop through those X-ray scanners is a risk in itself. While there’s no hard evidence that the X-rays used are anywhere near strong enough to do damage, there is some risk that the use of things like metal wands could end up wiping your laptop's hard drive. 

Luckily, while this is a lesser-known option, you’re within your rights to request a laptop hand check if you’d prefer. This involves requesting that a dedicated security personnel check your laptop separately. You may still need to use an X-ray machine for this, but you’ll take your laptop out and display each component individually. 

As well as avoiding any accidental use of damaging screening equipment, this separate approach makes it easier to keep an eye on your laptop as you pass through. 

# 4 - Carry Proof of Ownership

This point may seem unexpected, but trust us when we say that it’s a step you’ll want to take, especially if you intend to travel to multiple destinations. 

The sad reality is that, if you can’t show pre-existing proof of laptop ownership when re-entering the country, there’s a risk that you’ll face duty taxes under the assumption you bought your laptop while you were away. That’s an unwanted additional cost to tag onto your trip, and it’s an issue that you needn’t face. 

Whenever you travel with an expensive device, always carry things like original purchase receipts with you as a matter of course. Simply slip these into your travel document holder along with your passport and tickets. There’s a chance you’ll never need to use this information, but it can’t hurt to take it along just in case. 

# 5 - Invest in Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can often be one of those ‘should I/shouldn’t I?’ travel choices. On the one hand, you know it’s a good idea. On the other hand, you may convince yourself that you’ll never actually need it. 

Let us help you make up your mind once and for all with one simple reality – if you’re traveling with your laptop, you should undeniably shell out for insurance. This way, you’re guaranteed protection against things like loss, theft, or damage both in the airport and out of it during your travels. 

Do note that you’ll need to ensure the right kind of coverage for the protection of a specific high-price item like your laptop. For one thing, you’ll want to get a high coverage limit device protection plan from providers like www.worldtrips.com to ensure your laptop is included. It’s also worth getting high per-limit insurance, which ensures you’re never stung at a lower compensation rate than your laptop was worth in the first place. 

There are many reasons to take your laptop on your travels nowadays, and doing so can be a great way to make the most of your trips. Simply ensure you’re taking care of your laptop at all times by following these top tips, which are already used by the most seasoned laptop travelers worldwide.