Traveling involves many activities, from loading and unloading your baggage at the airport to checking in and out of the hotel.
It involves getting the help of many people you meet, especially when traveling to a foreign country.
Tipping those who help you in your travels is advisable and is the norm. Tipping baggage handlers is something that you will most probably encounter in your travels.
You may ask, ‘how much to tip baggage handlers?’ Many factors are involved in this decision, which will be discussed in this post.
How Much To Tip Baggage Handlers?
The general recommendation is to tip $1 to $2 for baggage handlers and offsite airport shuttle drivers who assist you with loading and unloading your baggage when traveling abroad.
Many travelers face the issue of not having change. If you have $5 in hand, and your baggage handler has carried about seven of your bags, you might as well give it all to him.
It’s advisable to carry a few dollar bills when traveling to foreign countries as you may have to tip those who assist you as your journey goes along.
Is It Necessary To Tip?
Tipping is more of an etiquette than a necessity. It’s not something you must do but rather something you would opt to do.
It’s done in the form of appreciating what the staff at the airport, hotel, or anywhere else during your trip have done for you. It’s a gesture of gratitude.
Therefore, tipping is nothing to feel pressured about. There is nothing to compare with others. One might tip more while the other might tip less, which should not be an issue.
What Is The Rule Of Thumb For Tipping?
There are a few things to know when tipping baggage handlers when traveling. You must consider the time, method, and amount for tipping various people who assist you in your travels.
Regarding hotel staff, you may not tip every employee, but you may do so for a few, especially those who have served you directly during your stay.
Service Provided
Some hotels offer additional features like picking up and dropping guests to and from the airport. They operate a shuttle service to make guests travel to and from the airport hassle-free.
Although hotels provide this service for free, you can tip the driver as a goodwill gesture. A tip of $1 or $2 will be ideal. If the driver helps load and unload the bags, you can add $1 or $2 more to the tip.
Number Of Bags
You must also be considerate of the number of bags that you are carrying. If the baggage handler helps you to load and unload many bags, more than $1 or $2 will be needed as a tip.
For example, if you have about six or seven bags, giving the baggage handle $4 or $5 as a tip is best.
Additional considerations
It’s not only the baggage handlers that you need to tip. Sometimes, the doorman needs a tip, too, as he constantly opens and closes the door each time you go out or come in from the doorway.
The doorman may have even helped you get your baggage through the door, so you must also tip him.
Who Else To Tip
Traveling assistance doesn’t only mean getting your baggage from one place to another. There is more to the entire package, and many people will assist you. It will all make your journey a better experience for you.
You may tip everyone else involved with your overseas trip whenever required. It includes front desk receptionist at the hotel, housekeeping, and room service.
These individuals have also played a role in making your trip memorable, although they may not have been involved in helping you carry your baggage around.
What To Know When Tipping?
Always remember to give the tip directly to the person you want to give it to. For example, provide a tip for the bellhop that helped get your baggage around.
Since tipping is informal, there’s a high chance of it not entering the expected person’s hands. If you leave your tip at the front desk, the intended person will not get it. Instead, it might go into the hands of the staff at the front desk.
Also, remember to tip daily rather than tipping altogether. If you tip altogether on the last day of your trip, only the person who helped you on that day will receive it.
When tipping people like hotel staff, remember to tip daily rather than wait until your stay ends.
Read more guides on vacations, what to pack when going on different adventures, and more related content to make the best of your trip.
Final Thoughts
Tipping is something most people do when they travel overseas. From baggage handlers to hotel staff, tourists have the habit of tipping everyone who made their trip a joy.
There are a few basic things to remember when tipping. Always consider the amount of hard work and dedication the baggage handler put in to help you before listing.
For example, it’s not a good idea to tip $1 for a baggage handler who moved around anything more than six of your bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Good Tip For A Baggage Handler?
A good tip for a baggage handler is $1 or $2. However, it’s best to tip $4 or more if you have around six or seven bags.
Do You Tip Before Or After Baggage?
You should tip your baggage handler after he completes his work.
Do People Tip Overseas?
Yes, people dip overseas. It’s more important to tip when you are traveling to another country as it’s then that you may require help from others.
Is It Rude To Tip In Another Currency?
It’s better to tip in the same currency as the country you are in at the moment. Most of these staff deal with local currencies; giving them any other currency will not help.