How to Pack That Bottle of Booze in Your Checked Luggage So it Doesn’t Break

Nothing in life is guaranteed, including that bottle of wine you tried to pack in your checked bag.  Not only did it break, it ruined your clothes.  While no method is 100% foolproof, here are some tricks I’ve used to get that bottle, and other delicate items, back home safely.

Wrap in Clothes

A risky move.  See the opening paragraph.  Wrapping a bottle in clothes will certainly help, but I would also use bubble wrap, if you can get your hands on it.  A friend of mine wraps her wine in clothes only, but I think it’s strictly a black diamond, a.k.a. expert only, move.

Bubble wrap is your friend 

This may sound odd, but I often pack bubble wrap for the unexpected fragile items I may bring back from a trip. Bubble wrap doesn’t weigh anything and it takes up very little room.  You can always toss it if you don’t use it.  This is my preferred method to transport wine/alcohol and other breakable items. I also put the bottle in a zip lock bag...just in case.

A Hard-Sided Suitcase is More Durable…

…than any kind of soft-sided suitcase.  Yeah, hard-sided bags have their own problems. If you’re hard core, you could buy a hard sided suitcase designed specifically to haul your booze. But whatever your choice - for pete’s sake, don’t even think about or packing anything fragile in a duffel bag.  If you’re like me, I’d rather savor that wine, spirits, whatever, on vacation, instead of worrying how I’m going to get it back home?

Wine Specific Packing Stuff

More sophisticated than bubble wrap, you could buy paraphernalia made explicitly for transporting wine in your suitcase, like inflatable wine bags.  The question then becomes is it worth it to invest in an inflatable wine bag on the chance you might bring back a bottle?

If All Else Fails…Ship It, But…

…shipping may not always an option.  Your state’s laws might even prohibit receiving direct-to-consumer wine, beer or alcohol shipments (That means you can't ship it to your home). And there's always the cost of shipping.

Final Thoughts

Remember – you can’t take it with you, meaning, you can’t take that full-size bottle on the plane.  If you’re determined to bring back your favorite adult beverage, you’ve got to pack it in your checked luggage.  No matter what method you choose, the objective is to minimize the possibility that your bottle will break. Good luck packing!