Just curious: What do people think the ideal luggage size is in view of the reduced baggage allowance?
I think 28" is out. Would you prefer 26" or 24", or one of each? Expandable or non?
What about the carry on? Although I don't, my wife prefers wheels and is debating between B&R 18, 20, and 22 inchers. Would 20" be acceptable in most situations?
It really depends on what you actually bring, which in turn really depends on where you are going and what you are doing.
You might, for example, bring only a small carryon to a visit to a tropical beach, but need a lot more baggage space for a business trip to Nunavut where you need to bring other stuff besides cold weather clothing.
Good points. I meant, what size would normally keep you under or around 50LB, the new limit? (I have a few older ones that very easily tip the scale. Of course they were bought during 70LB days.)
Smaller is usually better; if the bag's not big enough to fit in the kitchen sink, you probably won't even try to pack it.
That said, the carry-on sizes you mentioned are a problem. All international carriers have strict limits on size, but it's the weight limits which are the real nightmare. The weight of the rolling carry-ons empty is a killer. Empty, they can be 1/2 your weight allowance. Full, forget it. If you get a check-in agent with absolutely no humor, your bag won't go on board with you. It won't clear the scale test.
Look at lightweight, NON-rolling carry-ons if you want one. I'd stay about/under 20x14x7 if you want to get it on most, if not all of your flights. Yes, I know this is smaller than the US domestic standard, but if you have it stuffed to the gills it will still fit into an international sizer box! I use a 21x13x8 and I must be careful not to pack until it's bulging. If I don't, it's a fraction too wide (I use a Red Oxx Air Boss).
Sold on the Briggs and Riley? Go to the 18". It's a bit lighter (but still too heavy IMHO). The 20" 'looks' big and may get gate-checked. Anything larger is a waste of money - nobody's going to let a bag that big go by nowadays - gate check fees are an airline moneymaker. Not to mention the 22", loaded, is a backbuster to lift over your head into the bin. You can't GET it under the seats anymore - don't even try.
Conventional garment bags are a pain in the a**. Wide, long, unwieldy... Need one, anyway? Take a look at the SkyRoll. Rolls up to the size of a duffel carry-on yet keeps your suits in good shape.
I'd get the 24" (at most) for your checked bag. If you want to know why, do this: pack your typical travel clothing into cubes, folders, or whatever you use to organize your suitcase, and take it with you to a luggage retailer. Pack it into a 26" and a 28". Try to lift both to at least waist level (the usual height you'll need to lift it to get it into a rental car trunk or back seat). I'll bet you can't do it without a wince. Remember, bigger bags weigh more. Lots more. Empty.
Just think of all the times you'll need to use it (and heft it) to make the purchase a wise one. Think of how much heavier the bag will be when you get done shopping (after all, both bags probably have some empty space). Just think how much fun you'll have on the last leg home from each trip, exhausted and dragging your rectangular suitcase elephant into your house. Putting both back now? Your chiropractor approves. Bet your back does, too.
Good points. I meant, what size would normally keep you under or around 50LB, the new limit? (I have a few older ones that very easily tip the scale. Of course they were bought during 70LB days.)
I use a 25" or 26" Tumi and I find in most cases, I end up just under that weight limit, if I pack normally. If I got nuts with heavy stuff, I am just over the limit. So that IMO would be the size.
But if you dont need that much weight, then a 20" expandable would be the ideal size, being able to funciton as a carry on, or when expanded to get you close to the allowable 50;lbs as a check-in.
Thanks for great posts. For carry-ons, I am a big fan of non-wheeled kind myself and own an Air Boss as well as B&R. This carry-on will be for my wife who does insist on wheels. We have ruled out 22", for the reasons you mention, so it is between 20" and 18" (she'd like 20, otherwise 18 is obviously safer).
For checked luggage, we regularly go overseas for ~ a month, and with gifts etc, 2 suitcases are needed. Please note that this is for two passengers, so we use only 1/2 of our luggage allowance. In a way we do travel light, even it wasn't obvious from my first post.
B&R just seems a great value. I am sure Boyt, Tumi, Victorinox are all great quality but seem expensive.
Fortunately my wife agrees with me on avoiding expandable suitcases. That feature makes the bag heavier and more expensive, tempts one to overpack, and also unbalances the bag when expanded and filled.
From your comments, I think one 26" and one 24" might make a practical combination. That way we'd basically have two full suitcases when we need them and a choice of size otherwise.
Programs: AA lifetime GOLD, thanks FT, AARP senior member
Posts: 13,857
When my husband and I travel together on vacation we do a 24" for me and a 26" for him. Non-expandible. Had sided luggage. So far we have only had to repack in the check in line once for avoid being overweight on the 26".
For my carry on, this female uses the RedOxx Sun Chaser.
Smaller is always better, but of course that depends on how much stuff you need to carry.
I like to have suitcases that can nest in each other for storage, and sometimes for travel. If I know I'll probably be bringing back a ton of stuff, I'll pack my bag and put it in the next size bag and have two bags to bring back.
I was on a flight yesterday from Charlotte to LaGuardia that originated in Jamacia, there had to be 30 people traveling as a group all carrying garment bags as their carry on. I think they were a band or something, but it has been a while since I've seen that many. We were traveling with a folding garment bag/suiter as part of our checked luggage, so yes, people do still use them. Nothing works better for quick unpacking and keeping the wrinkles away for me.
Weight is the issue today, as already mentioned some international airlines weigh each carry on to see if it's carry on or not. With the airlines slowly or not so slowly dropping the max bag weight the bags need to be as light as they can.
For carryon, I don't like the 22 inch size, it's too large for some bins wheels in, and with everybody carrying on as much as they can, every inch counts.
The European maximum for carry-on (and is smaller for some airlines) is 56x45x25 cm. 56 cm is just about 22 inches exactly, but most 22 inch rolling bags have handles and wheels that extend the length further. You certainly couldn't fit it in a British Airways bin!
You could try to convince your wife to go no-wheels by finding a carry-on that will stack onto the top of her other bag, so she doesn't have to drag two behind her. I did that when I was moving, and it was terrible!
The European maximum for carry-on (and is smaller for some airlines) is 56x45x25 cm. 56 cm is just about 22 inches exactly, but most 22 inch rolling bags have handles and wheels that extend the length further. You certainly couldn't fit it in a British Airways bin!
You could try to convince your wife to go no-wheels by finding a carry-on that will stack onto the top of her other bag, so she doesn't have to drag two behind her. I did that when I was moving, and it was terrible!
I lost track of this thread due to many travels early in the year, but I appreciate all the replies. My tentative conclusion is that the ideal carry-on is a non-wheeled bag, then a 18" wheeled bag, then a 20" wheeled one. Ideal checked size for me is 24", followed by 26". For my travel needs, I find that the 28" is too big and the 22" neither here nor there.
I carry a shoulder bag, atop a wheeled checked bag when possible. My wife insists on both having wheels; for the carry-on she chose B&R 20" Superlight (non-expandable) roller. As you can well imagine, it is no fun to drag two rollers, one in each hand. When my wife gets exasperated, her solution is to ask me to take her carry-on as, according to her, one of my hands is free.
I am thinking of suggesting a shoulder bag with a "micro cart", the kind Till mentioned in another thread. If she doesn't accept, we are quite used to the current system anyway.
I carry a shoulder bag, atop a wheeled checked bag when possible. My wife insists on both having wheels; for the carry-on she chose B&R 20" Superlight (non-expandable) roller. As you can well imagine, it is no fun to drag two rollers, one in each hand. When my wife gets exasperated, her solution is to ask me to take her carry-on as, according to her, one of my hands is free.
I am thinking of suggesting a shoulder bag with a "micro cart", the kind Till mentioned in another thread. If she doesn't accept, we are quite used to the current system anyway.
I really think this would be a good solution for your "problem". Although I wonder why your wife doesn't simply use a shoulder bag like you and put it atop the roller. After all her husband is really smart in these things. Your solution is the best one. A micro cart wouldn't even be needed. And you have two of the best shoulder bags around.
Although I wonder why your wife doesn't simply use a shoulder bag like you and put it atop the roller.
Habits, personal taste, etc.. Also, I was a little tongue-in-cheek and didn't present her POV, which does exist. So, to be fair -
The scenario I described, when she needs to roll both bags---and no cart is available---does happen but not too often. More commonly, when we get to our "main" destination, there are a few 1-2 day side-trips with carry-ons, leaving the big bags home. For these trips, I still prefer my shoulder bag, but she prefers her rolling one both in convenience and appearance.
In the end, all said and done, the reality is that she counts on me being around and is not optimizing as a single traveler. For example, one of my big deals about my shoulder bag is packing space and compartments, but then she does feel free to use those too as I carry the bag. So telling her that a shoulder bag would have been better for her if she were to travel alone is like telling someone who is enjoying their boat in Lake Superior that if they go to Sahara the boat would be useless and they'd need a camel instead.
there are a few 1-2 day side-trips with carry-ons, leaving the big bags home. For these trips, I still prefer my shoulder bag, but she prefers her rolling one both in convenience and appearance.
I do not find rolling bags that convenient on anything other than smooth floors found in airports. Rolling a bag down a sidewalk that is not perfectly smooth, or carrying it up some stairs is less convenient than having a shoulder bag or backpack. Of the latter two, the backpack is better for more than light loads due to better weight distribution.
What about the carry on? Although I don't, my wife prefers wheels and is debating between B&R 18, 20, and 22 inchers. Would 20" be acceptable in most situations?
I use a 17 inch roller board (Swiss Gear Zurich), and use compression bags to get two weeks of clothes in it. My reasoning is that on many non-U.S. carriers, the 22 inch roller boards are going to gate checked if they look heavy or are heavy, whereas a 17 inch roller board has a higher chance of being ignored by the GA.
__________________
Robert Crandall on American Airlines: it's a great company that does important work. But airlines are not an investment.
