The Incredible Convenience Feature Most Airports In The World Have But America Is Lacking

Flying into U.S. airports, international travelers weary from long-haul flights and dragging heavy suitcases are often shocked to find they need to fork over money for a luggage cart — and more than just a few coins. Miami's International Airport, for example, charges $9 (as of this writing) for a self-service luggage cart. While U.S. travelers may find this normal, many international airports offer carts for free or only require a deposit that is returned when the cart is brought back. Some international airports even offer free luggage carts on both the landside (meaning publicly accessible areas such as check-in and parking) and the airside (the secured part of the airport that includes the boarding gates and duty-free shopping). 

While commonplace abroad, this service is rarely seen in U.S. terminals, leaving some travelers wondering why American airports are lacking this convenience. "What a shame we do not see more of these in the USA!" wrote travel consultant Matthew Klint on his blog, Live and Let's Fly. "It's so easy to put your carry-on bag and personal items on this little cart and push it to the gate. It's a little thing, but I mention it because it makes the entire travel experience smoother. ... But I cannot recall a single airport in the USA that offers such carts." So, what gives?

To figure out why luggage carts aren't free in the U.S., let's take a look back at their history in American airports. It wasn't until 1970 that Smart Carte launched the first self-service luggage cart in the United States. This service allowed passengers to pay a small fee to rent a cart rather than hire a porter. At first, this helped passengers save money while benefiting from the convenience of not having to carry multiple bags. 

However, what started out as a convenience turned into a surprisingly big business. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, LAX used to make nearly $3 million a year in luggage cart concessions. But with the advent of rolling suitcases, passengers ditched the carts in favor of toting their own luggage. Furthermore, over the years, international travelers finding out that luggage carts are not free upon landing has triggered complaints, leading to opinion pieces in the New York Times among other papers. 

This has spurred some change, and today, the San Francisco and Los Angeles airports offer free carts — but only for international arrivals. Domestic arrivals and departing passengers still have to pay. This is unlikely to change soon because, due to decrease in demand for luggage carts in general, the sale of domestic terminal carts doesn't make enough money to cover the fees the airports pay to have the carts in the first place.

However, Smart Carte doesn't only operate in the United States. Changi Airport in Singapore, for example, uses Smart Carte trolleys and is able to offer them to passengers for free. This works because, in Changi, which is home to one of the most bizarre airport attractions in the world, Smart Carte is able to still make money by providing other services to passengers for a fee, like luggage storage and porter services. But it's also not Smart Carte that decides to charge travelers — that's up to airport management. 

Most airports abroad find other ways to pay for luggage carts in order to provide them for free to passengers. For example, the Toronto Pearson International Airport is able to offer free luggage carts due to a partnership with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). Airports across India also offer free luggage carts, purchased and provided by the Airports Authority of India. 

All this doesn't change the fact that luggage carts in the U.S. are not free. So, how can you deal with this problem? First, to avoid luggage costs like cart rentals make sure to choose the best luggage (here is how travel pro Rick Steves recommends you choose luggage for an international trip). Four-wheeled suitcases are easy to handle and glide along airport floors, making it so you may not even need a cart. It's a good idea to invest in a trusted brand with a robust track record, like this one that flight attendants swear by. However, if all else fails and you need a luggage cart but don't have the right currency on hand to pay for it, one Redditor-recommended hack is to go outside the airport to arrivals and grab one that wasn't returned.