Baggage - check-in or not for Direct Flights
 

We would like advices on whether to check in luggages for direct flights US-MXP. For direct flights, are we almost guarantee that luggages will not be missed place and arrive later? What are pro n con other than leaving airport quicker. One of us has TSA pre-check n the other has Global Entry. Thanks.

a) There is no such thing as a guarantee that your luggage will not be missing, even after a non-stop flight. Moreover, this is independent of the airline flown and the airport you board.

b) Neither TSA pre-check nor Global Entry will have any effect on potential immigration lines in Italy (or anywhere else for that matter), except for coming home to the US (Global entry).

If your stuff is small enough to be accepted as cabin luggage, not checking it reduces the chances of being lost bur hurts your... shoulder! ;)

I check baggage. Because I hate lugging the luggage around the airport if I want to grab a bite or a drink or go to les toilletes.
This rule is bent if I'm traveling in a group, since someone can be the baggage attendant as others wander. I can pack everything I need in a compliant international roller and a small foldable messenger bag for a trip of any length (which is one reason on another thread I recommended to you a rental over a hotel - washing machines). I toss a Kiva daypack (full size daypack folds into a bag the size of your fist) in my suitcase for the inevitable gifts and souvenirs I pick up for friends and family. Even then, traveling alone, the roller is always checked.
But - this is critical - pack a smart set of spare clothes in your carry-on along with everything you absolutely can't be without, even for a day. And travel in clothes that can be worn for an extra day if necessary. Consider what you have planned for the first couple of days abroad and keep what you really need with you. Except under extraordinary circumstances, you should pack in a way that never has you buying things because your bag is delayed.

Check or carry the way you normally would for any other trip, assuming you've flown before. I check bags. No way I'm lugging two suitcases and a car seat around. There are never any guarantees with bags, so just keep essentials in a carry on - things like medication, ID, valuables, electronics, etc.

Pre and GE have nothing to do with Italian immigration. Unless you have an EU passport, you'll go in the line that every other foreigner uses. It's generally not a huge deal - queues for CBP in the US back up way more than they ever would in Italy, in my experience. It's basically standing in line to get to a window for a passport check, then you go to regular baggage claim and get your luggage, and customs is walk-through without any forms or much interaction unless you have something to declare. Foreigners use the non-EU lane, while EU citizens use the EU lane, usually just a walk through the same area with a rope in the middle. My experience is that on a foreign passport nobody asks you anything since you're probably not returning home (where customs declaration is important), while on an EU passport a customs agent will say hello to me 50% of the time. Do declare anything that you need to, but assuming you're not required to like most tourists with just their luggage, answer any questions if someone stops you.

Sometimes, I go to Italy for a six month sojourn. I've never checked a bag. The last time I checked a bag was a trip to Varenna on Lake Como, circa 2004. Bags never arrived, and finally made it back home to where I was living in the USA. Never again. You don't need that much stuff. I've gone to Italy for six months then to India for a month. I just bring old stuff that I'm OK with leaving behind as the seasons change, and buy new stuff as I go. Some things, I go to the post office and mail it back to the USA. No reason to bring a lot of stuff. I can't imagine why someone would need a suitcase for a 1-2 week trip. I'm talking about traveling professionally. A navy blue blazer, two pairs of pants, a couple of shirts and ties, ready for throw away and buy new ones as you go.

The only problem is shoes. I was teaching in Torino. Lots of walking in Italy. The sole started to separate. I brought them to the shoemaker, and I said, this is all I have, I need them by Monday, I only have the sneakers i'm wearing. He took out a liquid and sprayed it on the shoe, and I thought he was going to polish them. It was lighter fluid. Then he took out a cigarette lighter and tried to set the shoe on fire. I said what the hell are you doing!

I had told him that these were very good, expensive shoes. It turns out that real leather won't get on fire. That was the standard way in Italy to test whether or not your shoes are junk, or worthy of a reconstruction, and he was just doing his job. My shoes did not catch on fire, and he fixed them for my class on Monday.

For me, no luggage, no matter how long. Go with a half empty suitcase, and bring it back home full from what you will buy over there.

This.

We rarely check bags regardless of where we go and for how long we go. The cost of hotel laundry is far less than time spent waiting for bags. Even more important is the peace of mind in knowing that your bags will never get lost and that you will have much more flexibility during IRROPS.

I know you both well enough on these forums to know neither of you are traveling with (non-grown) children! I routinely check a car seat to Europe, often with a transfer, because I have to, and I'm really not worried about it. From 2012 when my daughter was born to today, the only airline to not deliver my luggage at the carousel has been AA on domestic travel. Don't get me started on that, it's usually my car seat, and always when originating at PHL.

With a nonstop flight from the US to MXP, I wouldn't think twice about checking a bag. It either gets loaded on the plane or it doesn't, with no opportunity to get lost in transit. If it doesn't get on the plane, it'll get on the next flight and they'll bring it to you. Pay for the trip with a card that provides decent luggage delay coverage, or buy more comprehensive trip insurance, and you'll be all set. Then, if your suitcase is a total loss, you can go on that shopping spree. Then again, I'm not attached to anything I own all that much. If they get lost, I'm buying new stuff anyway, which just defaults me back to the suggestion to not bring much.

I fly to US-MXP four times a year and always check a bag (sometimes two). I am in Italy for a week to 10 days and need to wear suits/ties/etc. and cannot rely on local laundry to get stuff done in time at a non-infinite price.

When I used to travel to Italy through LHR or CDG the bag would sometimes arrive a day later than I did, but I have had relatively good luck on US to MXP.

I consider myself really lucky, I'm batting 1.000 through CDG. Including numerous transfers to/from Terminal 2G.

Thanks all. Each of us has carry-on luggage and back pack includes our child, no car seat. We can do either so we opt to no check in then. This will be our normal for traveling. No time for any delivery arrangement nor shop other than special items. My flight in US in July for one day travel, we were flexible to switch flight (no checked bags) since our original flight had 3-hour delay. In June, had a 2-hour delay.

Perche: Your shoes story is hilarious. I learn something there.

It's not just lost luggage. My trip to Rome last month was SFO-LAX-ORD-LHR-FCO. I know, not the best route, but a great first class fare. LAX-ORD had a mechanical delay that kept getting extended. Finally, it became apparent that I would miss my ORD-LHR flight. So I went to the Admirals Club to request a reroute. They asked if I had any checked baggage. I said no. They switched me to a direct LAX-LHR flight, which was sweet. A nice long flight, with an opportunity for a lengthy sleep. That would not have been permissible with a checked bag. I would have wasted a day, and missed a wonderful event that I wanted to attend.

I would never, under any circumstance, stop 3 times to get to Europe. My butt would be in a coach seat on one of the European carriers if I were departing SFO. For me it's way more of a hassle to stop 3x than it would be to sit in coach, check a bag or whatever else. For the most part, I avoid stopping twice if it's at all possible (it isn't to most secondary cities in Italy).

This.
I drive Sacramento to SFO to avoid one stop. Will only book one stop to final destination.
When I lived in LA I took n/s to any reasonable destination in Europe and arranged my own way to final destination, usually folding in a visit to the flight destination.
(Obviously, booking myself for non business travel.)

On this trip, we got great $ and direct flight EWR-MXP with United. Therefore, we rent one way car each from DC; we consider this is a better alternative one stop and it was good. Having pre-check also help.

You're a better person than I am, as I am willing to fly to JFK or MIA to take AA to MXP, but I'd never do a two or three stop.