EVELYSS / Guides / Travel & Everyday

What to Do With Your Winter Coat on a Plane (Security to Baggage Claim)

“Your coat is the one thing that has to survive the whole trip, and it's the thing people treat worst on a plane. Wear it, fold it neatly, and give it a pocket strategy, and it becomes the most useful thing you brought.”Her take

Should you wear or pack your winter coat?

Wear it. A winter coat takes up most of a carry-on, and if you check it in a bag that gets delayed, you land somewhere cold without one. Wearing it through the airport keeps it with you the whole time.

The exception is flying from somewhere warm to somewhere cold. Then a packable puffer that squashes into its own pocket or a compression bag can go in your carry-on, and you put it on when you land.

Getting through security in a coat

In standard TSA screening lanes, coats and jackets come off and go through the scanner in a bin. In TSA PreCheck lanes you can usually keep a light jacket on, but a heavy winter coat will often still need to go in a bin, and officers can always ask. Empty the pockets into your bag before you reach the line, so phones, keys and coins aren't scattered across bins.

Lay the coat flat in the bin rather than bundling it, so it comes out the other side less creased. Put it back on as soon as you collect your things; coats are easy to forget at the end of the belt.

Where to put your coat on the plane

Overhead bin space is tight on full winter flights, and a coat spread across a bin takes space other people need for their bags. Wait until your bag is in, then fold the coat and lay it flat on top of it, or tuck it in at the end where it doesn't block anyone.

Fold it lining-out to keep the outer fabric clean: lay the coat face down, fold the sleeves across the back, then fold it in half or thirds. If your seat has space, keep it under the seat in front or on your lap.

• Good: folded flat on top of your own bag in the bin.
• Good: on your lap or behind your back as padding.
• Avoid: stuffed in its own bin, or squashed under a heavy bag.

Use your coat as a blanket or pillow

Cabins can be cold, and a coat makes a warmer blanket than anything on board. Wear it backward over your front with your arms through the sleeves, or drape it over your legs.

A puffer rolled up makes a good pillow or lower-back support, and a long wool coat folded on your seat adds a little cushioning on a long flight.

Choose the right coat for travel days

A coat that's easy to fly in is light, packable, wrinkle-resistant and has zipped or deep pockets. Lightweight puffers, quilted coats and wool coats in a smooth weave handle being folded better than delicate cashmere or long, structured shapes.

Zipped inside pockets are useful for your ID and phone, so you don't need to dig through a bag at the gate. Dark colors hide airport grime.

Don't leave it behind

Coats are one of the easiest things to leave on a plane, especially in an overhead bin you didn't use for anything else or under a seat. Before you get up, look under the seat, on the seat and in the bin.

Put a small name tag or card with your contact details in an inside pocket. If it does get left behind, it gives the airline a way to match it to you.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Wear it, empty the pockets before security, fold it lining-out on top of your bag or use it as a blanket, and check your seat before you leave.

Read next