<p>I am a mom who has flown alot 
and wanted to let you know that I have never locked my bags when I’ve checked them. I think you can only lock them with a kind of lock that airport security can open. </p>
<p>In any case, DON’T put anything of special value in checked baggage, and don’t put medicine or anything irreplaceable in the event that your bags get lost. </p>
<p>When is this trip? It may be too early for snow, but then again who knows…</p>