Question about the SLC airport

[westtexas]

Is there any way you can take just a carry on bag? I went to Germany for 3 weeks a few years ago with one carry on bag. I haven't checked baggage in years and it's totally worth it. If the bag doesn't fit in the overhead bin or the bins are all full, they just stash it under the plane and then you can pick it up at the gate and remain in the airport.

If I remember correctly, the SLC airport is pretty small and the baggage claim is outside of the secure area.

[Becky]

I've never been through SLC but, IME, baggage claim is always outside the secure area.

Also, last time I flew USAir, they gate-checked my bag, and made me pick it up at baggage claim, thereby defeating the only benefit of gate-checking

+1 for carry-on only. If that's not an option, could you ship stuff to yourself at your destination?

[OakLeaf]

http://www.slcairport.com/airport-terminal-maps.asp

Will you be renting a car? You could put your stuff in the car and go to a nearby store. Most rental cars have the option of GPS if you don't have your own portable GPS, so you could find a place that would interest you. Or do your research ahead of time.

Maybe you could sweet-talk baggage services into letting you put your stuff into their space while you wait outside, as though you hadn't shown up for it in the first place ... but I wouldn't count on being able to do that.

[ny biker]

Unless I'm misunderstanding the security regulations, I will have to check a bag because they won't allow stuff like saline solution and lotion in a carry-on bag. And I can't affort to buy all new stuff when I get there and then throw it away after a 6-day trip.

[OakLeaf]

"Medical" liquids include contact lens solutions and are outside the 3-1-1 restrictions. Lotions, shampoo, cleansers, etc., fall within those restrictions, but you can buy small re-usable containers; three ounces of anything is way more than enough for a six-day trip.

What I usually do, if I'm going on a longer trip and don't have enough room in one bag for all my liquids (which includes an Epi-Pen and an albuterol inhaler as well as the contact lens stuff), is just have a second quart ziploc bag for my medical liquids. I've never had an issue or even a question with that. But if you need larger quantities of your medical liquids, you're entitled to them.

[ny biker]

Unfortunately I can't afford to rent a car. Honestly I can't really afford the plane ticket. This is one of those family things that would involve grief and hard feelings if I didn't go.

This is gonna suck. My alternative is to take a later flight and change planes in Minneapolis, and hope I have time to eat lunch between flights. And for some reason it will cost more than the non-stop flight.

Did I mention how much I hate flying?

[Becky]

http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-carry-ons.shtm

Saline is allowed in greater quantities if you declare it to TSA, but I don't think that lotions are. I usually buy 2-3 ounce packages of my toiletries, including my contact lens solution, rather than deal with declaring anything. I even pack my insulin in my quart bag, rather than declaring it.

[divingbiker]

Aren't you going to have to pay $25 to check your bag?

Maybe do carry on on the way there, buy the stuff, then check the bag on the way home so you don't have to throw it away?

Or put enough stuff for a few days in small bottles so you can carry on both ways and not pay checked the bag fee?