ConcreteVitamin

I'm seeking recommendation of a domestic carry-on that satisfies the following:

- 20" or 21": I mostly travel domestically, but would also like to bring it on some occasional international flights (that's why I'm not explicitly looking for 22"). I'm aware of the domestic 22 x 14 x 9 requirement, so the carry-on should be within these thresholds in each dimension.
- 4-wheeled
- An outside pocket. Either it has a dedicated laptop sleeve for 15" laptops, or it's a pocket without a dedicated sleeve but can fit a 15" laptop (in its own standalone sleeve).
- Under $250

My travel frequency: at least 1+ intercontinental and 3+ transcontinental per year.

A related question: this bag seems to suit my needs but is 20" x 13" x 9.75", so technically it's not within the 22 x 14 x 9 threshold -- in your experience, can such bags be practically used as carry-ons on popular domestic airlines such as JetBlue / Delta / United? How often do you "get caught" and need to check it?

Any help greatly appreciated!

speedy_j

I bought the same Victorinox model but in black in Sept 13' so I can tell you that it meets all your requirement. My choice of luggage range from Samsonite to Tumi but the Victorinox is easily my best purchase. The wheels are very good when it comes to weight distribution and maneuverability. I fly domestic and Asia routes via various airlines and never have any trouble carrying it on. The only complaint I have is the lock that came with it isn't on par with the rest. By the way, I paid less than $100 for mine.

ConcreteVitamin

Good to know! Mind sharing where/how you got that price?

speedy_j

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...0-carryon.html

But unless you have a time machine...

Braindrain

If you go to the Victorinox website, the "special edition" of the Avolve 2.0 20 is on sale for $125, with free shipping. At least, that was the price when I checked last week.

Back about 1.5 years ago, Victorinox was transitioning from Avolve 1.0 to 2.0. Tons of cheapie prices for the 1.0 at that time. (Not sure if that was the bag from the above link.)

This bag is in the United carry-on thread. I contacted someone who mentioned this bag met the United carry-on sizer requirements. Of course, I asked how as the stated depth is larger. The answer back was to leave the front pocket empty (when appropriate) and the front pocket will collapse enough to meet the 9" requirement.

ConcreteVitamin

Thanks everyone for the info so far! Yes I can see the special edition on Victorinox's website - but the color is terrible.

I guess I'll have to wait a bit and see if the price drops. Are there any other well-received bags that meet my requirements?

Dianne47

I answered your question about the TravelPro Maxlite on your other thread. For good quality, relative to the inexpensive price, I do recommend the Maxlite line. Very happy with the 3 bags I bought last year - Maxlite 2. The current line is Maxlite 3, you might be able to get a really good deal on the Maxlite 2 line closeouts.

BTW, I did a TON of research before I bought. I considered the B & R Transcend, but in that line all the bags have lower capacity than the TPro Maxlites. If you need a bag with a bullet-proof warranty, B & R is the best - but the price points are considerably higher.

Braindrain

Everyone's taste is different. There are those that look for "looks like everyone else's" black and there are those that look for something distinctive that can easily be spotted in a sea of black suitcases.

Personally, I think it's pretty funky. ^

sushanna1

Braindrain--Thanks to your recommendation, I now own the "funky" grey spotted suitcase. Thanks to alerting me to the website. Much appreciated.

Braindrain

You're welcome. I decided to buy the same one myself. It's a well built carry-on. ^

wco81

Not seeing the special edition any more.

Is United really enforcing the rules that saving an inch by leaving the front pocket empty makes a difference?

I currently have a laptop roller which doesn't have as big a footprint as the 22-inch carry-ons but can expand to well over 10 inches, probably close to around 12 inches.

Seems like a full 22-inch carryon roller, with an external laptop bag for security checkpoints, would provide more overall space even if it isn't expanded beyond 9 inches.

However, maybe UA watches out more for the 22-inch carryons since they have a bigger footprint?

Or maybe the 22 inch carryons are less likely to fit on smaller planes, so you have to check them in at the gate or on the tarmacs?

Braindrain

I have no idea as I rarely flying UA. It was based on a private email conversation between myself and the FT poster who inputted this carry-on in the UA thread.

gobluetwo

As with ANY airline, it depends on the gate agent and whether or not they ask you to put your bag in the sizer. You can't really ask whether "United [is] really enforcing the rules" as it really does depend on the agent. If you do stuff it full, there is a better chance you'll get pulled aside, although I've seen that more with the full size 22" bags rather than the smaller 20" bags - but even then, not all that frequently. I'd say you're fine, unless you're a real serial overpacker.

MtlTourist

I can say that at Newark Airport, both the TSA agents before security and the United agents at the gate have been pulling a lot of people aside since January. I've been careful not to overpack my TravelPro Crew 10 22x14x9 carryon. I just don't feel like dealing with them. I'm confident enough that my carryon will fit in the sizer without issues.

wco81

I'm tempted to go with a 22-inch bag but these days with spinners, you get the sense that the sites are not including the wheels in the measurements.