Sometimes, flights and schedules don't work out. Maybe you've got a long layover and want to pop into the city to explore. Or perhaps you've got to check out of your hotel hours before your flight home. If only you could lock up your bag somewhere so you don't have to lug it around…
Bounce is one of several companies aiming to solve that problem by providing locations worldwide to store luggage for a small fee. Simply use the mobile app (or website) to find a location near you, book a space, drop off your belongings, and you'll be on your way.
I used Bounce twice on a recent trip to Montreal and was impressed with how easy the app and service were to use.
Where Can You Use Bounce?
When Bounce first launched years ago, it was only available in a handful of U.S. cities. But that list has steadily grown.
Bounce is now available in most major U.S. cities as well as destinations throughout Europe, Asia, and beyond.
You can see a full list of cities with Bounce luggage storage locations on its website. But even if you don't see a specific city listed, it doesn't necessarily mean you can't use Bounce there. For instance, Minneapolis isn't among the U.S. cities listed … yet when I searched for Minneapolis, dozens of nearby storage locations popped up.
The service works with businesses across each city to provide contracted luggage storage. So odds are that there will be a location near you to drop off your bag.
How Bounce Works
Once you've decided you need to store your luggage during your next trip, simply visit the Bounce website or use the mobile app to find the location nearest you.
From there, you simply select your check-in and check-out date as well as time(s), and drop off locations with baggage space available will appear. The cost for each bag is $5.90 USD for a day.
Each bag will be insured for up to $10,000 in value.
Once you've decided on a storage location, you can see the location's available hours and finish your reservation.
You'll get a booking confirmation in your email and on the app with the exact address of the location and link to directions for how to get there. For one of my reservations, I was provided a QR code to show staff at the location while for the other I simply had to show them the booking receipt.
I was able to add the booking to my Apple Wallet, which made it even easier.
Upon arrival, simply show the attendant your booking receipt in your email or on the app, drop off your luggage, then head out and go explore the city!
Coincidentally, the first spot I booked in Montreal was a store that sold luggage and travel accessories. The staff member took our bags, and stored them behind the counter. This particular location didn't seem like the most secure spot, so I'd advise locking your bag before dropping it off and – if possible – taking any valuables with you.
The second time I used Bounce, the storage location turned out to be a rather popular gym in the basement of an office building in Old Montreal. I picked the spot for its proximity to a metro stop, making it easy to collect our bags and hop on the metro to the airport at the end of the day.
The staff were very friendly and efficient, storing our bags in what appeared to be a secure room behind the front desk.
They put tags on each of our bags, instructed me to take a photo of each of the tags just in case, and then tore off the bottom half of the tag for us to hang onto. We simply handed those back to the staff member when we returned to collect our bags.
Is There a Mobile App?
The Bounce: Bag Storage Everywhere app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. You can make a reservation by using the app or on the full desktop website.
Do Larger Bags Cost More?
The size of the bag will not increase the price of your storage. Each bag starts at just $5.90 USD per day.
Their general rule of thumb is “if one person can pick it up, we will take it!” However, if you have questions about your specific item, you can reach out to support@usebounce.com.
To read more frequently asked questions, visit their website.
Is Bounce Worth it?
I can't even count the number of times I've arrived at my final destination hours before my Airbnb or hotel check-in time (or had to check out hours before a flight home) and didn't have a good option for my luggage.
For me, $5.90 per bag is an incredibly reasonable price to pay for the convenience of not lugging my bags around all day. The Bounce app was easy to use, and had plenty of locations to choose from in the city I was visiting, allowing me to select a place that made the most sense for my travel plans (i.e. near the metro line).
Bounce partners with more than 10,000 storage locations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Latin America, and beyond, so no matter where you're traveling, odds are good there will be an option to drop your bags near you. I'll definitely be turning to Bounce again to storage my luggage on a future trip.
Bottom Line
While the problem isn't critical, not having a place to keep your bags can sometimes be a nuisance during your travels. Bounce offers an easy fix with their luggage storage service, connecting you with locations in major cities all around the world where you can pay to storage your bags for a few hours – or days.