Rossen Reports: Revealing our best personal travel tricks

This is the Rosson reports team. That's me, that's Kelly and that's Sarah. We travel *** lot and each time we crisscross the country, we learn new travel tricks for ourselves. Let's start with my favorite hotel hack. I don't know about you, but every time I come into *** hotel room, I, I always forget something on the way out. Right? Because we have our air pods, we have our car keys. Uh the wife has jewelry and we, what do we do? We throw it on the counter. It's like that and then I'm, I'm gonna leave something behind. This is really cool. Right. This thing right here it's *** little soft tray that you can buy. It actually comes flat so you can pack it flat and then you just do that. Notice it's *** different color, right? Get something colorful, maybe even brighter than this. Drop it down and just put stuff in the tray that way when you're packing up. Right? All you have to do is grab the tray, dump it in and you go even *** lower cost option. Here's *** jar of peanut butter, take off the red cap and just put some stuff in the cap. Right? And then when you're leaving, this is gonna stand out, you're not gonna forget this. But check out this next trick. Got to your vacation spot too early to check in. Need *** place to stash your bags. Sarah uses this app. It's called Bounce. So I just got off my train and my airbnb is not quite ready yet and I need *** place to store my luggage. I'm going to use this app called Bounce. They partner with local businesses like *** hair salon, *** restaurant deli, even *** convenience store and you can pre book where you're gonna stay. So right now I pre booked *** deli. That's right near my Airbnb and they charge you one flat rate per bag. I'm gonna use my Apple Pay, but you can use paypal Google Pay, even *** credit card and then you have *** place to store your stuff. The app even vets each location to make sure items are safe and offers *** $10,000 insurance guarantee for your stuff. But this last trick from Kelly is *** game changer checking *** bag with Delta Airlines. If your luggage takes longer than 20 minutes to get to the baggage claim, you get both smiles on one of her last flights. She tested it out as you can see we're at the gate. I've started my timer. Let's go my bag. She makes her way to baggage claim and waits and waits. It's been like over *** half hour. The carousel isn't moving. I've checked the board like eight times to make sure I have the right one. I'm at the right spot. Nothing. She finally gets her bag after 39 minutes. That was *** long wait. You just submit your name, sky miles number and flight information on this bags on time form on the Delta website. Do it within three days after your flight's arrival and boom 2500 bonus miles for you. And don't forget airlines are supposed to compensate you for things you need to buy if your luggage is lost or delayed. Think about toiletries or clothes just to get through the day until they can get the luggage back to you. Just visit this page right here from the US Department of Transportation if that happens to you and we're gonna post that link and more of my team travel tricks on my website as well. That's here too. Rawson reports dot com. Back to you.

You’re gearing up for holiday vacations and we’re getting you ready by doing a whole week of stories on travel. The Rossen Reports team travels a lot. Each time we crisscross the country, we pick up new tricks that make traveling so much easier. So we (Jeff, Kelley and Sarah) are digging into our bag of secrets to share them with you.Jeff’s trick: Don’t leave valuables behindIf you tend to take off your wedding ring, watch, or jewelry and leave it on a countertop in the hotel or Airbnb, bring a brightly colored container to drop it in, so it doesn’t blend in with the countertop and you never forget it. You can use a brightly colored lid like one from a peanut butter jar or you can buy a collapsible tray that packs flat. Here are a couple of options: Folding tray for $14 Small folding tray for $10Kelley’s trick: Protect your stuff from germs on an airplaneFlight attendants say those seatback pockets don’t get cleaned often. They’re one of the dirtiest spots on an airplane. Bring a gallon Ziplock bag to store things like your phone and headphones. This will also help if you tend to put a lot of stuff in there and then it’s all in one bag when you’re ready to go. If you don’t want to bring a bag, you can buy a protective cover. Seatback organizer for $26Sarah’s trick: DIY stuff your shoesStuff your shoes with socks to keep them from getting smushed in your luggage. If you’re not packing socks, use tissue paper or newspaper.Jeff’s trick: DIY pillowsI’ve learned some easy hacks from other travelers, too. Don’t want to carry a large neck pillow? Take a sweatshirt, roll it and tie it with a rubber band. Want to carry on more clothes or make space in your luggage without putting your sweatshirt in? Take the cover off your neck pillow and stuff it with shirts/clothes. Another trick I’ve learned from fellow travelers: if you don’t want to wear your winter coat on the airplane, bring a pillowcase folded up in your carry-on and stuff your coat in there and use it as a pillow during the flight. It also keeps your coat from getting dirty if you decide to shove it under the seat.Kelley’s trick: Get bonus milesDelta Airlines offers a baggage claim reward. If you’re checking a bag, when your flight gets to your destination, if your bag takes longer than 20 minutes to get to the baggage claim, you get bonus miles! The clock starts when the boarding door opens. You submit your name, SkyMiles information on this website form within three days of your arrival and if you qualify, you get 2,500 bonus miles. Delta Bags On TimeSarah’s trick: Storing Your LuggageHotels will let you stash your luggage if you get to a destination too early or if you need to check out but want your bags to still be safe while you finish your vacation. But if you have a rental that won’t allow it or you have another reason, there are apps that let you do that, like LuggageHero and BagsAway. Sarah, personally, likes Bounce. The app partners with local businesses that have dedicated a room or space for this. You go on the app and say when you need to check your bags in and then it will give you locations that can do that for you. When it comes to the cost, it’s a flat rate of $5.90 per bag for the whole day. (Although, we’ve seen the rate go up to $6.90 a day in New York City.) You pay through the app with either your credit card, PayPal, Apple, or Google Pay. Then you drop your bags and you have a safe place to store your stuff. The app even vets each location to make sure your items are safe and offers a $10,000 insurance guarantee for your stuff.

You’re gearing up for holiday vacations and we’re getting you ready by doing a whole week of stories on travel. The Rossen Reports team travels a lot.

Each time we crisscross the country, we pick up new tricks that make traveling so much easier. So we (Jeff, Kelley and Sarah) are digging into our bag of secrets to share them with you.

Jeff’s trick: Don’t leave valuables behind

If you tend to take off your wedding ring, watch, or jewelry and leave it on a countertop in the hotel or Airbnb, bring a brightly colored container to drop it in, so it doesn’t blend in with the countertop and you never forget it. You can use a brightly colored lid like one from a peanut butter jar or you can buy a collapsible tray that packs flat. Here are a couple of options:

Kelley’s trick: Protect your stuff from germs on an airplane

Flight attendants say those seatback pockets don’t get cleaned often. They’re one of the dirtiest spots on an airplane. Bring a gallon Ziplock bag to store things like your phone and headphones.

This will also help if you tend to put a lot of stuff in there and then it’s all in one bag when you’re ready to go. If you don’t want to bring a bag, you can buy a protective cover.

Sarah’s trick: DIY stuff your shoes

Stuff your shoes with socks to keep them from getting smushed in your luggage. If you’re not packing socks, use tissue paper or newspaper.

Jeff’s trick: DIY pillows

I’ve learned some easy hacks from other travelers, too. Don’t want to carry a large neck pillow? Take a sweatshirt, roll it and tie it with a rubber band. Want to carry on more clothes or make space in your luggage without putting your sweatshirt in? Take the cover off your neck pillow and stuff it with shirts/clothes.

Another trick I’ve learned from fellow travelers: if you don’t want to wear your winter coat on the airplane, bring a pillowcase folded up in your carry-on and stuff your coat in there and use it as a pillow during the flight. It also keeps your coat from getting dirty if you decide to shove it under the seat.

Kelley’s trick: Get bonus miles

Delta Airlines offers a baggage claim reward. If you’re checking a bag, when your flight gets to your destination, if your bag takes longer than 20 minutes to get to the baggage claim, you get bonus miles! The clock starts when the boarding door opens. You submit your name, SkyMiles information on this website form within three days of your arrival and if you qualify, you get 2,500 bonus miles.

Sarah’s trick: Storing Your Luggage

Hotels will let you stash your luggage if you get to a destination too early or if you need to check out but want your bags to still be safe while you finish your vacation. But if you have a rental that won’t allow it or you have another reason, there are apps that let you do that, like LuggageHero and BagsAway.

Sarah, personally, likes . The app partners with local businesses that have dedicated a room or space for this. You go on the app and say when you need to check your bags in and then it will give you locations that can do that for you. When it comes to the cost, it’s a flat rate of $5.90 per bag for the whole day. (Although, we’ve seen the rate go up to $6.90 a day in New York City.)

You pay through the app with either your credit card, PayPal, Apple, or Google Pay. Then you drop your bags and you have a safe place to store your stuff. The app even vets each location to make sure your items are safe and offers a $10,000 insurance guarantee for your stuff.

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