I always travel light, never checking. I remember going on family vacations for 2 weeks to the Mediterraneran, or 3 weeks to Australia, or just a week in the states, and never checking...One time Lufthansa made us gate check in Frankfurt, but that was expected....


Those are the "extreme" examples! Normally for short trips, carry on only is easy. Never worrying if they'll lose a bag, if it'll be damaged, but for me, it's the time that really kills! Dropping off a bag can be annoying, even in Air Canada's exec. check in, and then picking it up takes a while!

Now, the only times I have checked are

1) Shopping trip to NYC with the family. Enough said.
2) Month in Europe- even with that, my checked bag is standard North American Carry on sized (Have carried it on AC many times).