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“When you meet a vegan who does Crossfit, which one do they talk to you about first?”
“OHHHHHHH! It’s funny because it’s truuuuuuue!” as the Family Guy character would say. But I can think of a third type of person who always seems to talk about what they do: the carry-on traveler.
It seems like everyone wants to carry on their luggage. People get complimented by others when they do. People rave about how much time they save at the airport by carrying on. People write endless guides and books about carrying on only. And frequent travelers who exclusively carry on, well, you’ll probably know by the end of your first conversation with them.
Carry-on travelers do make a lot of good points — carrying on your luggage is lighter, it’s easier to carry, it’s cheaper, and you don’t need to worry about the airline losing your luggage. And believe me, if you want to carry on your luggage, that’s great. I’m thrilled for you. But it’s not the only way, despite what carry-on evangelists would have you think.
I very, very rarely carry on my luggage. In fact, I don’t think I’ve done so since 2011. I thought it would be good to explore the reasons why I choose to check my luggage instead.
I like dressing up.
Carrying on means paring your belongings down to just a few things, which becomes problematic if you’re staying somewhere for longer than a weekend. I don’t like wearing the same items again and again in all my pictures, and I don’t like looking like a hobo, either.
Checking my luggage allows me to bring a variety of clothes that make me happy, flatter me, and make for much better photos. Standing at a scenic overlook wearing a pink and black vintage-style dress makes a much better picture than a raspberry tank top that reveals your complete bra line and a black cotton skirt washed so many times it’s starting to turn greenish-gray.
I’m actually trying something new this summer. Because I’m in Europe, where people dress much more neatly and I stay in higher quality accommodation, I decided to bring all nice clothing this summer. Several dresses. High heels and nice flats. Embellished tank tops. My favorite leather motorcycle jacket. Even a small steamer to keep the dresses items looking their best.
So far, it’s paid off. I went out with a crew of locals here in Copenhagen Saturday night and I was delighted to see that I fit in perfectly wearing nice jeans, the comfiest low black pumps on the planet, a black flowy tank top embellished with blue and silver sequins, and my leather jacket.
I wouldn’t do that on the backpacker trail in Central America or Southeast Asia. Those are different kinds of trips. But for Europe, it’s good to dress up more than you would at home, and I have so many more options than if I carried on.
The liquids rule requires more hassle.
I love makeup and carry a big arsenal of products with me, including several liquid and gel products from moisturizer and eye cream to setting spray, brush cleaner, BB cream, various liquid liners and glosses, and more.
Packing every single one of those products into tiny containers and sealing them in bags that you can take out and separate for every flight? No thanks.
And while a small container of face wash or hair serum will last a few months, shampoo and conditioner certainly won’t — so if you’re traveling for longer than a few days, your only options are to use solid shampoo or buying new trial sized bottles wherever you go. Again, no thanks.
Technology is a greater priority for travelers.
When I left for my semester in Florence 11 years ago, I didn’t pack a single device that plugged in (!). My film camera ran on disposable batteries; I wrote my papers at public computers in internet cafes.
How the world has changed. So many of us work online now. All but the most tech-phobic travel with a smartphone at the very least, and it’s increasingly popular to travel with a laptop, Kindle, tablet, and more tech gear. These are all items that should never be checked (see below for more on that) and they will take up priority space in your carry-on luggage.
Can you fit all your belongings into your carry-on bag alongside your tech and camera gear? Fewer and fewer people can.
Passengers don’t respect the carry-on limits.
With increasing fees, more travelers are carrying on their luggage — and that means you’re now competing for space with even more people.
While in a perfect world, people would obey the carry-on luggage limits and only take the space they’re allotted, this is rarely followed. Many passengers overpack and take up more than their share of luggage space, which results in the later-boarding passengers having nowhere to store their things and end up having to check them after all.
You can generally avoid this if you’re all but the last person to board, but it can still be complicated finding a place where you can store your bag. This would be easier if airline staff enforced the carry-on limits at the time of check-in, but the majority of them don’t even give you a second look.
Some airlines are strict about carry-on.
Conversely, some airlines DO enforce limits strictly — but to a worse degree. If you fly EasyJet, for example, you’re allotted exactly one carry-on item. Which means that even if you show up with a small rolling suitcase and a purse or laptop bag, they won’t allow you to board until the purse or laptop bag is packed in your suitcase.
And that means that you’ll have to give up precious space in your luggage, space that could be used for more clothes, to make room for your purse or laptop bag.
I personally think EasyJet’s policy is a pain in the ass — everyone opens their suitcases and takes out their purses as soon as they board, which delays the seating even more! — but at least they’re serious about keeping people from taking up too much luggage space.
It’s rare for airlines to actually lose your luggage.
I’ve taken probably at least 200 flights in my life, and my luggage has been lost a grand total of twice. That’s a rate of about 1%.
Both times, there was a clear reason for it. The first time was coming home from my semester in Florence in 2004. I was on the school’s group flight, with around 30 of us flying in a small plane to Munich before changing to a much larger plane to New York.
Because so many of us had brought several suitcases roughly the size of hippos for our semester abroad, there wasn’t enough room for all of the bags. Only some made it on the first flight; the rest were sent the next day. It was delivered straight to my home in Massachusetts the next morning, even though my flight landed at JFK.
The second time was on my way from Bangkok to Milan in 2013. I had a very tight connection in Frankfurt — 90 minutes, which was exacerbated by my incoming flight being 15 minutes late. I skipped every line, ran through the terminals, and still missed my flight; so did my luggage. I convinced the airline to put me on a flight to Bologna since I had missed my train connection; my bag didn’t get the memo in time and was flown to Milan instead.
Frankfurt is a monster of an airport — I don’t recommend having a connection there tighter than two hours when changing from international to domestic/Schengen or vice versa. I usually book a three-hour layover, just in case.
It worked out in the end. Despite Italy’s disorganization, I had my luggage delivered to my apartment by the next morning.
On both occasions that my luggage was lost, I got my it back within 24 hours of my flight landing. Now, I’ve known people who had their luggage delayed for longer than that. But it was very, very unusual.
Tips for Flying with Checked Luggage
If you choose to take my route of checking your luggage, here are my top tips for doing it right.
Use Quality Luggage That You Love
If you’re using luggage you hate, you’re going to be miserable for your whole trip. Use a bag that fits your belongings, and make sure you can transport it comfortably on your own, including up and down stairs.
Here are the two bags that I use for checked luggage these days:
- Osprey Sojourn 25-inch 60L Wheeled Pack — my regular bag since mid-2013. It’s built like a tank, has tons of pockets, and it’s easy to maneuver. I wrote a full review of it here. (FYI, I received this bag for free from Osprey in exchange for the aforementioned review.)
- PacSafe Venturesafe 55L GII — a newer addition to my arsenal, this is the most thief-proof bag I’ve ever owned, and I love how strong the construction is. (FYI, I received this bag for free from PacSafe as part of a freelance project I’m doing with the company.)
NEVER, EVER Check Your Valuables
Valuables should always stay in your carry-on luggage and never be checked. What is considered a valuable? Anything that you would be despondent to lose. That includes:
- Your laptop, smartphone, Kindle or e-reader, tablet, and/or any other electronic gear
- Your camera and lenses
- Any medications that are critical to your health
- Any fine jewelry
- Anything else expensive that you can fit in your carry-on bag
Get Travel Insurance
Did you know that some travel insurance companies will reimburse you if your luggage is delayed? At least my company does!
I use World Nomads and if your luggage is delayed more than 12 hours, you can be reimbursed for up to $150 per day to buy new clothes and toiletries.
Travel insurance is vital for many reasons, and this is yet another reason why.
Know Your Luggage Weight
Be sure to weigh your luggage in advance. Many budget airlines, especially those in Europe, charge you by the weight of your checked bags. Sometimes knowing the difference between 20 kg and 25 kg can save you quite a bit of money.
Pay for Checked Luggage Ahead of Time
If it costs money to check a bag, pay for it when you book your flight. While you can always pay at the time of check-in, it’s often much more expensive this way.
One example — on Norwegian Airlines, upgrading your travel class ahead of time gets you one checked bag, one or two meals, and you can choose your seat. If you wait until you arrive at the airport, it will cost more to check your bag and you won’t get the meals.
The Takeaway
I’m not saying that it’s bad to carry on your luggage — I’m just saying that carrying on is not for everyone and it’s not for me. Make the best decision for your own your personal travel needs.
Just know that you’re not alone, and you’re not a bad traveler if you want to check your luggage. It’s totally okay. You’ll be glad when you see how nice you look in your travel photos.
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I’m definitely a carry-on person, providing it’s a short trip. I bought the most perfectly-sized wheel-along suitcase from Matalan for only £18, and it’s designed to just about fit within most airline sizing restrictions. I managed a 5-day trip to Lanzarote with it, even with a pair of cork wedges inside. It makes life so much easier when travelling from large airports, as providing you can check-in early online, you can grace through the terminal and head straight to the departure gates.
With that being said, weight and liquid restrictions can be a problem. Two years ago I travelled to Majorca with a group of five girls, and between us we assigned one check-in bag for liquids, and heavy items such as shoes and beach towels for us all together. The rest of our clothing went in our hand luggage bags, and we split the cost of the check-in suitcase between us.
That’s a really great idea! I could see me and my girls doing that for a weekend in Vegas.
As others have said, do what makes you happy and the most comfortable. I can’t stand travelers who are adamant about “their way” being the best or only way of doing things.
Save for a two or three night trip in which I will just do carry on only, I check my bags. I dine at nice restaurants when I travel, I like options in terms of clothing/footwear not feeling limited with what I can bring & do. I live in Pittsburgh and anytime I fly internationally I have to connect so no, I do not want to be carting around a week or more worth of articles with me for 10+ hours while I wait in two airports, stand in line at immigration etc. And just like you, I have taken dozens upon dozens of flights on all different airlines through all different airports and never had my baggage lost or delayed once. As you said, the odds are so slim for this happening.
And yes, maybe biggest one-people’s carry on “antics” have just gotten more and more obnoxious with no respect or consideration for fellow passengers who do respect and abide by the rules.
I agree with you – I frequently check my bag, and I haven’t had any problems (knock on wood). It depends on the trip, too, of course – a long weekend, I might not bother, but a longer trip (or a business trip) and I almost always check it. Plus, I hate having to drag my bag around while I wait for my flight at the airport. If I check it, I don’t have that problem.
Also, I just have to rant a little bit about people bringing their oversized carry ons onto the plane, and no one enforcing it. The flight attendants then want people like me (who paid to check my luggage) to take my carry on bag and shove it under the seat in front of me. Part of the reason I pay to check my luggage in the first place is so I have all the leg room in front of my seat – it’s limited enough as it is, so why would I want to limit it more by putting my bag there?
I’ve been a traveler for about 40 years and have always followed the great French writer and aviator, Antoine St. Exupery’s advice, “He who travels happily, travels light”. I almost always carry on. It’s not the fact that the airline may lose your luggage (and if you are traveling on from your final airport city to somewhere else, that could be a big problem), but it’s the fact that I don’t want to carry around a lot of stuff as I travel. Of course, being a 60 year old man is a lot different than a 20 something woman. I don’t need make up, several shoes or nice dresses. I carry about 5 changes of shirts and underwear. One long pair of pants and one pair of shorts. All clothes are fast drying (mostly from REI), so when I wash them in the hotel sink, they are dry in a few hours.I take one pair of shoes, Keen sandals. (This is for warm weather destinations). All my liquids easily fit in the one quart zip lock, including contact lens solution and sun screen. I have a small camera, a Kindle, en electric convertor, an extension cord and an iPad. I don’t travel for the nightlife, but for exploring small villages and ancient ruins. If I need something…more toothpaste, a nice shirt, another pair of pants, I can always buy this wherever I am. My wife is also able to put all her stuff in a carryon, so women can easily do it, too. The bottom line is that it’s just more comfortable to not carry around a bunch of stuff, especially if you are using public transportation between your destinations. The best travel advice I ever heard was this, “Before you travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money”.
Hi Kate,
I kind of stumbled blindly/accidentally into a love of traveling solo, but your blog has been a HUGE inspiration and comfort for me as I’ve made it my new normal!
I remember growing up hearing one of my friends complain about his “crazy” dad who made the family carry-on only for their vacations…and now I’m one of those crazy people! I like to be able to walk straight off of the plane and to a cab/car without waiting at baggage claim, I hate paying extra checked bag fees, and I have had several experiences with prolonged lost bags that reinforced this practice for me. If I’m flying domestically within the US and will not be paying to check the bag, I have no problem with it, but have gotten so used to carrying on only, even for 2 months in southeast Asia, that it’s hard for me to ever justify checking at this point!
But thanks for your article – it is a good reminder that it is ridiculous for me to feel guilty for checking a bag ever!
Haha – you are so right about “carryon only” people. I go back and forth, but have had my luggage “lost” at least 3 times, domestically, on direct flights with no obvious reason. Flying home, it’s not a big deal as they eventually deliver it to your house, but on other trips, that can be pretty awful, especially if you head into the backcountry as I often do. On the flip side, I have the United Mileage Explorer card and don’t pay for checked baggage, which is super.
Question….I am considering a flight to Chiang Mai with a 20 hour layover in HongKong. This really has me questioning a checked bag as 20 hours is just too long for it to sit anywhere. Have you had a long layover like this where you were able to retrieve your luggage?
Thanks!
Leigh ~campfiresandconcierges.com
I’ve never done a layover that long, Leigh, but I don’t see why not!
I’m a carry-on evangelist (and I’m sure sometimes an obnoxious one!) and I still enjoyed this post. Do what works best for you is my best advice! Travel in whichever way works for you – but don’t forget to be open to trying something new. Life’s too short to stress about suitcases
There is one important regulation regarding luggage that I think most people forget about and, depending on your plans and travel style, it could influence your packing choices.
In the US, my understanding is that it’s against the law to deliberately fly without your luggage. So if you book yourself a generous layover (so you won’t miss your connection in a busy airport) and you happily find you can make an earlier flight, the staff will generally let you on if you have your bags with you – but if you checked them at the beginning of your journey you won’t be allowed to catch an earlier second flight.
Under these same terms, if your flight is delayed and you qualify for 240 rules (or modern equivalent), they can’t technically be applied until you are reunited with your checked luggage. This can take several hours, during which time the number of alternative flights you are eligible for has likely dwindled.
Obviously this rule doesn’t affect most travelers (and I’m sure lots of airline staffers bend these rules) but, for me, it’s been the best reason to fly carry on. I’ve saved hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars by booking the second leg of my trip later in the day (when it’s cheapest) and then flying on the more expensive, more convenient earlier flight – something I’ve only been able to do because I haven’t been separated from my luggage. I also once managed to save myself from being stranded in an airport for two days because I able to 240 myself onto the last flight of the day as the only passenger who had their bag with them.
I’ve traveled for several months at a time with a single carry on bag – which is 50% my blogging gear. The point about fashion is well made, but I think (sadly) even if I had a huge bag my fashion sense still wouldn’t improve. Even that raspberry tank would be haute couture for me! Alas! But two of the most stylish women I know are huge carry on devotees – Jo from Frugal First Class Travel and Alex from Travel Fashion Girl. I think their packing lists could work for any style of traveler and they always look tremendously chic. (Yep, I should probably ask them for a few lessons).
That is a very good point, Vanessa! Thanks for sharing.
LOVE THIS!!! I wrote a post on what my wife and I packed for Europe and received some nasty comments from carry-on packers. Apparently, they get quite offended when you disagree with them.
I don’t buy their “save time” argument. Sure, on the front end they don’t have to wait like 20 extra minutes for their luggage at the airport. But how much time do they spend doing laundry? Much more than 20 minutes. That time is more interrupting as it is in the middle of the trip. That is time that can be spent exploring!!!
Very good point!
I laughed at comparison to vegans and cross-fit, I may be guilty of over sharing why I haven’t checked a bag in 10 years. My luggage has been lost several times, last at worst possible time. I didn’t get it back for 3 days and I swore I would never check a bag again. However, you make some very valid points that make me reconsider my process. Surely baggage handling has improved in the last years?
I think a big part of it is booking wisely — having long enough layovers and such.
I almost always pack in a carry on size roller bag, which I check when it’s free but do carry on when it would cost- as little as it seems, that extra $50-100 per trip adds up for those of us still in school! I guess I’m lucky I have low maintenance hair so I have room for plenty of makeup in my liquids bag, and I never put two bags in the overhead bin- I agree, that is so rude!! I try not to be one of “those” travelers, but I am a crossfitter, vegetarian and quasi carry on only traveler so I might be one of them, despite my best intentions! I’m curious- how much do you estimate you pay every year for luggage checking costs, bearing in mind that overseas flights usually give you free checked bags?
HAHA! That’s funny. It’s hard for me to estimate. If we average $25 per flight about one third of the time, for me, that would probably be a few hundred dollars per year.
I’ve definitely always been a carry-on-er but NOT because I think it’s so much better… it’s because I am a total materialistic weirdo and I would always be afraid of losing my stuff! Even those $12 target dresses have sentiment, you know? 😉
That said, I’ve checked my bag at least one leg of each of my last 3 trips and it turned out ok…so maybe I’m starting to turn this thing around!
I’ve traveled before, but for school and work purposes. And I’ve travel to places through out the city, but I’m doing I little bit more this summer. I’m going on my solo out of Canada trip – to New York. I’m so excited, I’m going from August 7th to 10th. I work on the 7th, so I’d be flying in on Friday night. I realistically have the entire Saturday to myself, a little bit of Sunday morning/night, and I small time circle on Monday morning. I want to fly back early for work the next day. – Uneccessary story, I know. But, which of the two bags would you sugguest more??? I’m definitely planning to travel and go on longer trips in the future. I’m traveling from Canada, but I’m taking the plane… I want more time in NY.
It’s a short trip, so you could get away with a very small bag! The choice is yours.
Great post Kate. Thanks for writing it – I totally agree… I’d rather have room for a few extra outfits and all of the gadgets that I need, than struggle by with just a carry on (boasting about it on the way!)
I must get better at choosing what to pack in my checked luggage though. I have a habit of overpacking a backpack that is already too big for me. NOT a good plan. New backpack is added to the list. Interesting to see that PacSafe do actual backpacks… I thought it was just those metal mesh things. Good to know :).
This is funny because I got to Quito, Ecuador on Wednesday with 5 bags each weighing 50 lbs and the one bag I am missing is the 20 lb bag that just happens to have all the clothes I plan on wearing. I have not gotten my bag yet but this is a family visit trip so I have clothes I can borrow.
If my bag is not found then I get reimbursed. THE INSURANCE IS HIGHLY ENCOUAGED. I have never lost my luggaged before, and my bag could just be delayed but I had to leave Quito to come to Alasui for a week.
I flew down with my mom who completely do not follow any flying rules AT ALL. That is why my had to be checked in to begin with. Frustating but that is how it goes when flying with someone who thinks the rules do not apply to them. Good read! I always hated the idea of wearing the same outfit in all the pics. lol And yes I am wearing shadows from my urban decay pallet 3.
I agree completely – except the bit about makeup and hair gel (bald is beautiful). Besides – I never want my tech and camera gear to be squeezed out of the cabin by over-sized luggage of other passengers – so I make that my overhead priority
Great post !! Thanks for the tips and for me the make up issue is very important and I prefer to have a lot of outfits than only a few
When I visit my family in Denmark, I only bring carry-on as I can do laundry at my mum’s house + steal her lotions etc. so I don’t have to bring it myself. 😀
But for all other trips I tend to bring more luggage with me!
You make a lot of good points, I typically put anything I don’t want to lose in my carry on. I always get nervous about my luggage, because my mother used to work for a credit card company and would take claims on lost items. So many times people would get things stolen from their luggage by the employees at the airport. Not just computers and watches, but just normal clothes too.
Orange Is The New Black definitely helped with that perception!
Hmm, it depends. If I’m going for less than a week, I’ll generally carry-on only and just whack a few t-shirts, a change of jeans/shorts, socks and underwear, a pair of shoes, my laptop, a shaver, my book and a few toiletries in. Anything longer than that and I’m inclined to check my bags.
When I flew Leeds-Belfast-Newcastle a couple of years ago I checked a suitcase (on Jet2 and EasyJet) because I was attending a friend’s wedding in Newcastle and of course didn’t want to roll up wearing a suit that looked like it was an accordion cover in a former life. Likewise whenever I travel home for Christmas I check bags as I know I’ll bring things like shower gel and shampoo that’s larger than 100ml back with me. Luckily I’ve never had my luggage lost (touch wood) but then again I’m super paranoid about layovers.
I’m equally paranoid about layovers! Super-long layovers for me. Which will get better once I get an AMEX Platinum and have lounge access everywhere!
Hello,
Just wanted to stop by and say these are great tips! Definitely a great read. I’m currently running a similar travel site based in Los Angeles: http://www.visitla4less.com
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I admit that I usually am the one that will carry on my luggage, at least here in the states. When traveling overseas I will usually check even though it does costs more. When I do that, I always make sure that I have an extra set of clothes and toiletries. We have been stuck in one city when our plane was delayed overnight due to an airline mistake and our luggage was not returned to us. We had to stay overnight in the airport hotel, but had to wear the same clothes,(yuck) and buy more toiletries. The airline paid for meals, but not stuff like that. Just a good suggestion when you have a plane change. You never know what could happen. Thanks again for the great article.
After an airline lost my luggage on a trip to Miami, I make sure and always have carry on luggage!
Of course there’s less hassle and everything but I love the process of packing everything I love [not the process of carrying them though]. I’m scared of losing things too, so I’m still torn between two options. But your post is really nice and quite convincing!
I like carry on because I hate waiting for my luggage to show up on the baggage carousel.
Great explanations….I think it depends on my situation if a short trip carry on luggage. Get in and out off the plane into transportation. If long haul, definitely checked baggage.
Awesome post. I actually am one of those pack light evangelists….however, I rarely carry on as I have far too many liquids and wouldn’t ever compromise on that. As a beauty and travel writer, you can’t really get away with taking a crappy kohl eyeliner and solid shampoo just to save space.
Plus, I am 32 – I need my decent skincare people!
Kate,
This article is full if so much important information. I’m on board with the checked bags! My shoes and outfits alone would never fit In a carry on! Great job Kate.
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I can do either carry-on and check but usually check my bags for a lot of the same reasons you do. I want to look nice and have a variety of outfits. I’m often blogging about luxury travel so can’t be showing up at those places in some sad looking safari pants and a T-shirt! I have had awful experiences with lost luggage though and have gone as long as a week without it so I pay attention to my connections and the airlines I’ m flying when I make the decision to carry it or not.
Yeah It is so true because whenever you are carrying a big luggage everybody seems to be staring at you. Well sometimes it is embarrassing and sometimes very funny. But if you are comfortable in your skin and with your luggage nothing matters . if you are uncomfortable with your luggage then you have an option to rent a car from http://www.bharattaxi.com and enjoy your journey… 🙂
After an airline lost my luggage, I always keep a carry-on with clothes and other essentials.
I think a lot really depends on where you are travelling too. If the average temp is 35 degrees you can get away with less.
I’m confused how people carry on with such small weight limits. The size limit is usually easily attainable. Some airlines, especially in the States, have generous carry on weight limits. But my last 3 flights had 7 kg carry on weight limits that were enforced. 7 kg is hardly anything, my camera, laptop, chargers, notebook, and travel meds weigh that much combined.
I have never actually done carry-on only because when I went to France this summer for 6 weeks, I brought a duffle bag so I could carry back wine. But as an experiment, I looked to see if I could get all of my clothes and my everyday shoes and all of my tech into my backpack and tote. And the answer was yes. I still had plenty of nice clothes, and while I couldn’t fit the heels, I never wore them the entire two months I was abroad. I’m planning on doing a winter trip in just my backpack and a tote. I’ve already been testing out how much I can pack, and while winter clothes are definitely harder to fit, you can also wear them more times without washing. And you can extend that even more by wearing long underwear (that is quick dry and no one cares how faded that gets) underneath, so that absorbs sweat and dirt instead of my jeans and sweaters. I’m also of the mentality that if I really need a pair of heels, I can buy a throwaway pair for the night, same as I do at home.
Part of this is to save money if I have to fly Ryannair, but the other part is that I realized whenever I would pack for long trips, I always brought more than I needed. Even with ten outfit options, I wore the same 3 things. So why pack the other stuff if I’m never going to wear it? And if I don’t pack that, then I can save money (and not risk my bag going to Frankfurt instead of Warsaw, true story) by carrying on. Though when I fly domestically on southwest I often check my bag, even if it is carry-on size, because it’s free and I can.
Kate, I laughed so hard at that first line . . . I’m a carry-on person and the whole “talk about it like its Crossfit” totally fits me! Guilty
I kind of “self-converted” out of necessity. I use the Osprey Meridian 22.” It has a detachable daypack, so you can always pack it out to about 25″.
Back in March, I had a business trip which brought me around the world in 13 days. There were some really quick stops at the heart of it: Bahrain-Manila (13 hour layover)-Guam-Hawaii in the span of 72 Hours hours, jumping United-Gulf Air-United, with no more than 24 hours at each location. If my bag got delayed, I would have never seen it again, and would not have been able to work. So I decided to try to do everything carry-on-only. This included two sets of military camouflage and boots, plus sneakers, heels, and all the nice clothes/beauty products I insisted on bringing for night out in Manama and Honolulu!
After that trip, I figured I’d find a way to always carry on. It’s definitely doable to pack everything you would in a 25″ bag as long as you roll and use vacuum seal bags.
The two biggest downsides are heels are usually the first thing I leave out, I can’t take as much of my dive gear as I’d like, and I think twice about souvenirs.
While carrying-on better fits my own needs, these reasons are very cool and definitely made me think twice about how much I wanted to bring on my next long overseas trip.
Thanks for sharing, Andrea! I might try carrying on in Asia this fall, actually.
All the anti-bag checking propaganda has made me feel guilty when I do check in luggage 😛 My problem is electronics too, because they basically fill my carry-on. I’ve just moved to Ukraine for 3 months and checked a large suitcase. I am so happy I did. Everyone is really fashionable here and I need formalwear for work and warm clothes for winter.
I’m on that carry-on express for all my travels except for when I have moved to another country for longer than a month or two. You’ve been lucky with airlines not losing your bags! I would say 1/3 of my international flights have resulted in a missing bag, once taking a full week to get in. If I’m gone on a short vacation or if I am moving around a lot, it’s just not worth the stress. If that 100mL rule would be eliminated, carry on life would be SO much easier! Also, I tend to run late for trains/planes/buses, so having just a backpack has allowed me to catch them (with a couple exceptions) in the nick of time 😉
Just decided to find this post again as I contemplate buying a new suitcase. I’ve always been very much “I will only carry on!!” But as we’re going to Europe for a lengthier time next year, and I want to bring some cute clothes, I think a nice rolling suitcase is in order. That Osprey looks really nice. 🙂 Seems like 25-28 inch is a good size without bringing a massive case. I’m gonna try putting a suitcase on our wedding registry and see if anyone buys it for us 😉 hehehe. Great tips as always, Kate.
Yeah, i agree. I used to travel with a carry-on when i was younger, but now i take my best clothes and shoes with me. Because i am going to have my best time when i travel.
I have been looking to pack as light as possible and taking from only carry-on packing, but I’m checking my bag anyway. For me the purpose is to carry as little weight as I can because of my health problems and I just don’t have the strength to carry around a heavy bag. I guess I’m searching for a happy medium to make my few weeks in India a little easier. Now I’m tempted to pack some fancy clothes though!
As a travel agent for 8 years, I just want to say that lost luggage is pretty common and my clients report getting it back between 3-7 days on average, and sometimes… Never.
You make a lot of really excellent points. I have been lucky enough on multiple trips to reach the gate with my two carry-ons and volunteer to gate check my bag for free because the plane is short on space. With the exception of the little puddle-jumper planes on short legs, almost every flight I’ve ever been on has asked for volunteers. This has saved me the cost of checking in advance and gives me the peace of mind of watching them put my bag on the plane and knowing it will be there when I land.
It’s funny how things are, what is good for some people are terrible for other people.
I always checked my bags, and I always got nervous, I haven’t had any lost suitcase, but my friends had awful experiences with that. But I am getting to a point that I don’t like to wait for my bag instead of being already at the hotel pool with a margarita on my hands, or at the beach enjoying the view.
So i bought the 22 lightest carry on bag I could find, a kippling and its soft shell, so you can put a lot of things there, and I do a well planned clothing selection, no tank tops that revels my bra… I am not very boho either, but if I could afford Cloe all the time I would definitetly be one. Instead of hight hells I do nice embellish flats, that would do for my ego and clothes a lot more than a normal black hight heel, instead of a lots of make up I bought a good make up kit at the airport, (lancome does good ones and also chanel) that latter I can carry on my daily bags, as another person said silk and polyester are great fabrics that will look good and can be washed and dry very fast, they won’t take a lot of space and they don’t get wrinkled as easy, for my laptop, camera and jewellery, I put all in my bag and under the sit, but on the side so i can still put my legs there, so instead of paying for the bag, sometimes I pay the economy plus.
But I guess if I was a professional blogger my problem would be lenses, I am sure I would sometimes figure it out, if not let’s do a check in for my bag, no other way, as I do when I go visit my family in Brasil with gifts for everyone, and my fingers crossed for my bag to show up…
Oh my God, this makes me feel so much better.
For all of my domestic travel and for stays up to a week, I typically do carry-on only and find it very convenient for all the reasons mentioned in this post. However, this spring and summer I’m going to be doing a lot of longer travel – 1 month+ each leg – and have been struggling with the idea of trying to fit at least two seasons worth of nicer clothes for extensive domestic and European travel into my carry-on bag.
It ain’t gonna happen, and now I can admit it to myself. This post officially absolves me of my carry-on guilt. Thanks Kate :).
I think that if I’m ever traveling for pleasure I will for sure check bags. So far my international travel has only been to third-world countries. I would suggest using a carry-on if you have ANYTHING that you still want when you get there. When traveling to Haiti, for example, the airport workers will check your bag before you get it from baggage claim and if you put a lock they will stop you at the door to tell you that they need to check for “taxable items”. They will take your things. Definitely don’t put anything sort of valuable in your carry on because there is no way to report stolen items.
i stand about 4’7″ in my 1-inch heels, so a carry on I can actually truck to the upper bin is pretty much the size of most people’s purses. 🙂 That being said, I sometimes do carry a roll-on if I’m doing 2-3 days or even a week for work; that’s mainly because, when I’m meeting the same folks for lunch AND dinner it doesn’t matter if I look a little hobo-esque for the latter! 😉 I do have to ask for help with putting those overhead in the aircraft, though, so it’s tempting to use the travel miles towards free check-in. And I never, never carry in if I don’t have a nonstop flight–can you imagine me trundling a roll-on that’s taller than me, through a ritzy middle eastern airport? Heh.
Being an older person traveling I have found it so much more convenient to check my bags, it leaves my hands free for other things and it’s one less thing for me to be thinking about while in the airport.
At 73 have learned best travel advice:
Take 1/2 half amount of clothes–and 2x’s amount of money
I would never check anything I plan to see again heading to South America. Had several items stolen. I keep valuables with me and if I need to check something, it’s pajamas, underwear, etc.
I am so happy to read this post. No one ever talks about the benefits of checked luggage. I’ve been doing carry on since my parents let me pack my own bags as a kid and after my last few flights the carry on just feels like such a hassle. I envy people walking around the airport with a bag that just holds the stuff they’ll need on the plane and I feel like a hermit crab carrying all of my belongings on me with whatever strap digging into my shoulder or falling off my rolling carry on. I’m pretty minimalistic but I don’t feel that way when I pack carry on only.