Here's an idea: a subscription for your luggage. United Airlines has a deal, for a limited time, called the "Premier Baggage" program. You pay a fee of $249 and then every time you - and up to 8 companions traveling under the same confirmation number - take a trip, your first two "standard" bags fly free. So, normally you would pay $20 to check a first bag at the airport and $30 for the second. That's $50 per leg of your trip, which means you would have to take six one-way trips or three roundtrip flights in a year (and check two bags) to make the premier plan work for a single traveler. Now, if you have a family of four, the plan will work out for you after just a single roundtrip flight. (You can even purchase the plan as a gift.) Right now, it's just United offering this deal but look for other airlines to do something similar. Except Southwest, where we know bags always fly free. Wheeeeee.

Baltimore Sun File Photo