IT’S IN THE BAG! AA Reveals the True Cost of a Suitcase
- Contents of holiday suitcase are likely to be worth around £1,500
- Londoners will take the most expensive cases (£109); most costly clothing (£268), most value in books (£27) and most expensive shoes (£116)
- A fifth (21%; 20% of men, 23% of women) wouldn’t take electronic devices (other than their phone) such as a tablet, laptop or e-book reader
- Two-thirds of those surveyed believe that the European Health Insurance Card is a free substitute for travel insurance
- AA release new video and advice surrounding how to deal with lost luggage.
According to the latest AA travel research the contents of a holiday suitcase is likely to be worth around £1,500.* Here’s a breakdown of the average cost of contents the average Brit is jetting off with:
| Contents | Average cost of contents |
| Clothing | £245 |
| Gadgets (including phones/ tablets) | £600 |
| Jewellery | £269 |
| Suncream and new swimwear | £40 |
| Cosmetics | £52 |
| Shoes | £105 |
| Designer sunglasses | £150 |
| Suitcase cost | £100 |
On average Brits are packing £1,211 worth of goods in their luggage and that’s excluding essentials like clothes and shoes, which averages to £350 per person combined. The findings conclude that Londoners will take the most expensive cases (£109) most costly clothing (£268), most value in books (£27) and most expensive shoes (£116). Those from Northern Ireland will take the greatest value in jewellery (£356), cameras (£300), electronics (£465) and cosmetics (£63).
Below is a regional breakdown of the average cost of travel bags and contents across the UK:
£1604 – London
£1565 – Northern Ireland
£1536 – North West
£1505 – Scotland
£1502 – Yorkshire & Humber
£1477 – South East
£1433 – East Midlands
£1409 – Wales
£1394 – West Midlands
£1392 joint – North East
£1392 joint – Eastern England
£1312 – South West
The research also found that 1 in 10 travellers aged between 25-34 admit that they don’t take out travel insurance before they go on holiday – and two-thirds of people surveyed believe that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC card) is a free substitute for travel insurance. Other reasons include forgetfulness, cost of cover; and age and health issues precluding affordable cover.
According to the AA Populus study among 16,000 travellers cameras – once top of a holiday kit list – are second most likely to be left behind, perhaps given the quality and simplicity of smartphone photography. Young travellers (18-24) are least likely to take a camera, with fewer than half (47%) doing so, while those aged 65 and over are most likely to hang on to their camera (81%). But the average value of a camera taken on holiday is £271, a fifth (20%) taking a camera worth over £500. **
Official SITA’S research found that over 22 million bags are lost worldwide – the average claim the AA receives for a lost suitcase is £316 per case. AA travel insurance covers baggage up to £2,500, and if you are an AA member, there is no excess to pay in the event of a claim. ***
The AA has released new video and advice page complete with information and top tips on how to minimize the chances of losing your bag.
