If you survived the travel chaos of the summer, consider yourself lucky. And if you're traveling this winter, be prepared because holiday travel is always madness.
If there's one thing we can all learn from the summer travel season—at least as passengers—is to avoid checking a bag at all costs. Depending on the reason for your travels or for how long you might be gone, that might be impossible. But if you're going on a short trip (say, a week or shorter), carry-on only is a very feasible goal. And the strategy isn't just packing lighter but also smarter.
