Do I wear my money belt on the plane or wait until we arrive?

Well, I’ve seen some pretty dodgy flight attendants in my day.

No! You need easy access to your passport when you arrive to go through immigration. Why would you wear it on a plane? Who would steal from you? I never use one so wonder what this is all about.

I carry my money belt in my carry-on and wait until just before arrival and take a quick restroom break on the plane or find a restroom after landing. I keep my passport available in a zippered shirt pocket for quick and easy access from the time I leave until I arrive at my destination hotel. After that I usually have it with me although sometimes I just carry a copy of it. I also make a copy of my passport ID page and store it in Dropbox that I can access from my phone or computer if needed.

For us, as soon as we go thru security, we head for the restroom and put on our moneybelt with passport . I like not having to keep up with it on the plane and I know where exactly it is, at all times. This way, when I arrive at my destination, worn out and disoriented from not being able to sleep on the plane, I have one less thing to think about. I KNOW where my passport and so forth are. They are on me! I am sure you will receive all different opinions. It's all about comfort level, to me. I don't wear the money belt. We wear the over the neck kind under our clothing. I wear mine holster style and tuck it in to my waist band. I'm usually heading straight to the ladies room anyway, when we land, so I take my passport out while I am in there. I'm not worried about security on the plane. This is just what works for us. Have a blast on your first trip to Europe and may you have many more!

If you are taking public transportation, then putting it on in an airport restroom is fine. We rented a car so I didn’t bother. I only wore it in Florence and Rome.

Tell us about your trip. Be prepared to fall in love!

He Christy, Deb and I drew up in Macon and now live in Monroe County! You’ll have to come up, sit on the porch, drink sweet tea and watch the hoards of goldfinches determined to eat us out of house and home!

Ardelhstill, You must do what you feel is the most comfortable for you. So many on this board wear the money belt in Europe.
I would suggest you wear it a week or two before going to Europe, so you are familiar with how and when to extract what you need. It is not like a fanny pack or a purse or wallet. It is for those things you simply can't or don't want to loose.
I tried it once and quickly forgo the money belt. I asked myself would I wear one in NYC.. no!

Now, I have not traveled Italy, where I hear the HUGE majority of PP love to work. I have traveled by train and subway in many major cities in Asia, USA and Europe and know how to protect my stuff... even locals protect their possessions.
Again, do what EVER makes you comfortable and feels secure... This is your holiday, not anyone elses! Enjoy and keep traveling!

@Dougmac, Hey neighbor ! Would love to sit on the porch and talk about our travels. Small world, Huh?

I wear it at home.
Never trusted my wife with my money.

Start with the money belt when you leave your house. USA airports do have pickpockets! If the money belt is uncomfortable you can keep it in your personal small bag under your seat. Don’t leave money or passport in carry on bag stored in the overhead compartment. Organized theft from overhead compartments is not unusual when passengers are sleeping.
But if you travel by train or bus ALWAYS wear your money belt. Valuables in bags on your body or seat are not safe.
The chances of theft are small, but don’t ruin your first wonderful European travel.

I often keep my Passport, money and credit cards inside my clothing that I wear for travel, after I go through inspection. There are anti theft clothing( t shirt, shirt,pant,scarf, sock and jacket on Amazon) that one can buy, especially, certain clothing can help one to keep his/her passport, ipad, smart phone etc...
Good luck with your Europe trip!

Money belt with passport, cash, credit cards goes on my body as I get dressed to go to the airport (via public transit), then put in my personal item going through security, then back on throughout the flight. One thing less to fall on the airplane floor ...

When do you start with the money belt, on the plane...?

Good heavens, NO. We wouldn't wear them on a plane even if we wore them at ALL, which we don't. There are all sorts of ways to keep documents, cards and cash safe, and a money belt is just one of them.

Roberto, you're killin' me. :O)

Like someone else said, it is really about your comfort level. I use a money belt because on trips I tend to carry large amounts of cash plus my passport. I usually don’t put it on until I am in my first destination, have stopped by the ATM, and am heading out to explore. When I am at the airport, I usually haven’t been to the ATM so I have a smaller amount of cash. I need my passport accessible, so I wouldn’t put that in a money belt. Same way on the way home, I usually have dwindled my cash back down to a small amount, and I need access to the passport again, so no money belt on the way home.

Start with the money belt when you leave your house. USA airports do
have pickpockets! If the money belt is uncomfortable you can keep it
in your personal small bag under your seat. Don’t leave money or
passport in carry on bag stored in the overhead compartment. Organized
theft from overhead compartments is not unusual when passengers are
sleeping.

Was this meant to be sarcasm? Not a bit of it is remotely true.

If you have TSA pre-check or otherwise know that your airport security has only a metal detector, then you can wear the money belt through (but don't wear any metal). If your security procedure requires a back-scatter x-ray deal, then you may not wear it through, and are asked to remove even handkerchiefs from your pockets.

I travel solo, so I load my money belt with my extra €/£ and extra CC/DC. I put my passport and 1 CC plus cash to get me to my hotel in a small crossbody wallet from Eddie Bauer that is small enough to fit under my cardie and comfortable to have on during the flight. I use my passport for ID at security and put both the wallet and money belt in my carry on going thru security. Then I head to the bathroom and don both my money belt and my crossbody wallet loaded with my passport. This way my passport is accessible for boarding (Delta always checks at my departure airport and boarding the international leg) and for when I go thru Immigration at my destination.

http://www.eddiebauer.com/product/Connect-Travel-Wallet/82300048?showProducts=111&previousPage=type&pSrch=wallet

*I have an older model of this wallet. It used to have a wallet opening across what would be the right side of this picture but it looks like it might have been changed. I have not looked at them *in person but will stop by Eddie Bauer sometime soon to see if I still recommend them.

The money belt does not feel uncomfortable at all to me so I don't mind having it on. Since I am relying only on myself I like to know everything is tucked in and safe. I don't have to worry when I get up and go to the bathroom or walk around during the flight. I suspect the rate of theft on airplanes is low but it is possible and having the important things on my person reduces my anxiety.

Someone objected to my comment that theft has occurred from carry on luggage in overhead bins. If you google this you will find it has happened many times, mostly on Asian routes but it does occur worldwide. And there are certainly pickpockets working in US airports. Just trying to be helpful.

I agree with most posts. It's all about your comfort level. I have been to Europe more times than I have fingers and toes. No money belt ever used. For me it's about blending in and NOT looking like a tourist, especially an American tourist. Use discretion, common sense and leave the 'bling' at home as this just brings attention to yourself.

In our case we decided which one of us keeps stuff in our pockets better and I gave it all to him. He used a money belt.
Ps
If you should accidentally dump your handbag on a BA flight in PE, that little space under the seat rest is a perfect spot to find your passport.
Love flight attendants on BA,

Hi, I put my money belt in my purse while I’m on the plane. I either put it on during the last time I go to the bathroom on the plane or just after going through airport checks. We wear them during our entire trip. I wear a waist one and my husband likes the one with a belt loop that hangs vertically down his leg.

I wear them on the flight because I fly alone and I want them with me when I use the washroom. I don't want to leave them behind in my carryon luggage when I leave my seat.

I'm with Sandra (Rome) particularly when I travel solo. When I travel solo, I wear a money belt contraption (mine's a leg wallet). I do go to the ladies room at the airport to put mine on after security. Until then my money belt is in my personal item where I put it the night before I leave (I leave in AM). I'm getting away from the money belt, but whatever separate space in which I'm keeping my backup finances, it is on my body during the flight, but separate from my money, CC and PP, which I'm using during transit, particularly when traveling alone. Personal security is different than when you are traveling with someone and I will rely on the other person to watch my stuff, sometimes. That being said, I'm not big on having my husband watch my personal item...as he's just not used to it. Nonetheless, if I lose my valuables when my husband is around, there is money to fall back on so I'm less cautious. I only use the money belt to carry my items when in transit. Otherwise, I leave the backup/moneybelt in my suitcase or safe in the hotel room. I do carry my passport always as I live in an urban environment as I feel rather secure with a small purse and I wouldn't find it a big deal to get it replaced if the embassy/consulate is near where I'm passing. But, still, I separate the rest cuz someday I could be stupid and lose it. LOL

Sorry, I'm too verbose. Essentially, figure out your system and stick to it for the entire trip. You can rethink it for the next trip, and so on.

Backing up 3LoveToTravel here as I've been on a flight which was delayed deplaning in Rome because someone claimed her purse had disappeared. Of course that means she'd also lost her passport. We all sat for awhile but nobody searched our stuff. Maybe they were searching the area closer to her seat but it seems as if we were just sitting...and sitting...and sitting. We never heard whether they found her purse but we were finally allowed off the plane. So either she was a very confused person or theft does happen on planes.

Whether to wear a money belt on the plane depends on your acceptance of risk and how comfortable you are wearing a money belt. I don't bother with it on the plane but the risk of theft isn't zero (even if it is darn close to zero).

I agree with Sandra and Pam.
I often travel solo, usually to Italy; and I go into a restroom stall after Customs and put all my cards and extra cash, and my passport, into my moneybelt; then just have enough cash in my crossbody bag to get to my accommodation on arrival.
I also always take my crossbody bag with my aforementioned valuables in it to the washroom and when I leave my seat on a plane.
Who the heck knows who is sitting near you these days.
Not worth it to leave it unattended.
So: OP: I think most of us would keep our valuables close while on board the plane, then put them in the moneybelt, and put it on, after arrival.

I have trouble remembering where I park my car at the grocery store, so I use a neck wallet to keep from that mad scramble, " where did I put my passport?! Bad memories of the Barcelona airport where we had to unpack my husband's entire carry-on to find his passport. I leave my neck-wallet in my purse from the time I leave home until we go through immigration. From then on, I wear it on travel days. When we're out and about during the day we each have a credit card, passport copy and just enough money to get us through the day (in a small cross-body if it's a big city) -- pretty much like we do at home.

I rather like to put the stuff necessary for security, immigration, and such like things in a neck pouch when I leave home and leave it there until arriving at my destination, for which I subsequently wear a money belt. I also wear a real belt with a zippered pouch which runs it's length in which I carry emergency cash, and only remove it if the security guys make me :) In truth I suspect the answer depends to a great deal on your own perception of the level of security necessary. (in the interest of full disclosure, I tend to wearing a belt and suspenders both :)

The idea of placing my passport in bag of any description gives me nightmares.

Thank you Roberto.