iamalighthouse

Attempting to plan my first interational plane trip, and I was unaware that various carriers had such differing weight limits! I'm trying to figure out what luggage to get and what to plan for.

I'm finding that with one airline booked through United, only an 18 lb carry-on is allowed. The average rolling-duffel is about 4.2 lbs. Do I attempt to pack this little and avoid the checking the bag hassle (having to pick it up and re-check it in Warsaw, because we do get free checked bags with the United card), or do I check our bags and hope they arrive safely and deal with re-checking them in overseas?

Being as it's our first trip...I want to do this as simply and hassle-free as is likely. If we do end up being told it's too heavy, I wonder if it's too late to use our free United checked bags.... Thoughts and experience? Also, what type of luggage is best and hold up well?

Doc Savage

I've not had problems using regular US sized carryon luggage when connecting from a US carrier to a secondary flight within Europe. I believe the rules for the longest flight take precedence in most cases.

I always try to avoid checking bags if at all possible.

If you plan to catch a later intra-Europe flight a day or two later, you will have to abide by their minuscule carryon rules.

chollie

I've had to check my 21" rollaboard twice when connecting through AMS, but both times I was connecting to a European carrier.

OP, I'm not sure what you mean by re-checking. AFAIK, when you go to board your connecting flight, if it's too large, they gate check it for you right there - you don't have to exit, go to the regular checkin counters, etc.

EmailKid

Last time I voluntarily checked a bag was at least 15 years ago (had to check luggage when flying was part of work as I needed tools like screwdrivers).

On my first almost three week trip to Southeast Asia I had a soft sided carryon/backpack that I bought at a garage sale and loved dearly. Sadly, it didn't survive Hurricane Ike (IIRC, the big one that got Galveston). And yes, at that point it was held together with a little duct tape

I've traveled for the longest time with a couple of backpacks - one smaller than official rules and the other smaller than persona item, though being *A Gold does help. Now the larger one is a rollaboard, but it still has the straps like a backpack, so I can use it in that fashion if I had to - rollaboards don't do well with European cobblestones

Now that I think about it, it's kind of funny in that I don't want to waste time waiting for luggage, but will go out of my way for extra miles. Well, used to ... now that UA no longer gives you the miles flown, it loses the point

Don't forget, you can get pretty much everything in Europe that you can get here. Haven't been to Poland, but imagine it can't be that much different from Czech Republic or Slovakia.

Aviatrix

They do for checked baggage but not for carry-ons - where the operating carrier's rules apply. Gate agents will often turn a blind eye if the flight isn't full, and clearly you've been lucky so far - but don't count on always being lucky.

gmark1

Carry on only is doable, but the problem i found with rolling duffels is they dont meet size requirements. They far too tall if you pack much in them. I went with a rolling backpack. You also have to be careful there too, as there stated size and packed size are two entirely different things. If you can get by without wheels, that will save you a bunch of weight, and give you extra room too. From what I've seen backpacks dont get scrutinized near as much as bags with wheels.

alanR

I must be missing something - it isn't a choice of either hand luggage or checked luggage - you can have both.

Also why do you have to collect and recheck luggage at Warsaw?

truepecenik

I'd find the most restrictive leg/carrier and use those rules carry on only.
I am of the "two kinds of luggage, carry on and lost" camp, however.

Romelle

I'm firmly in the always-carry-on camp. I've a very light weight day bag backpack (1.35 pounds) that has worked for even a month trip. Hand-washing things as I go.

Lots of others available, but mine happens to be THIS ONE .

You will be really happy with yourself when you walk past the people waiting for the luggage carrousel ... bumping a roller bag down train station steps ... loudly rolling over cobblestones ... ...

Romelle