I go carry-on only after having one bag destroyed, a couple lost for several hours, and had things stolen out of my bag twice. I'm getting closer to my goal of being able to pack everything for a week or longer in a bag that United would call personal-sized so I don't have to worry about bin space - it also helps I'm petite. I can readily pack for stricter airline weight requirements (LX and VS have weighed my bags). The advantages I see are not having to wait, especially after international flights, having everything under my control, and ease of using public transportation, especially when one just has a small backpack.

Always carry on only. Whether overnight or two weeks.

Exactly. One airline cut prices on the ticket itself but made up for the loss by charging for luggage. Everyone flocked to the "cheaper" price. So the other airlines followed suit. Now everyone is complaining because the airlines are doing exactly what we asked them to do.

Someone gave you false information. You aren't required to fly with your luggage. You cannot "voluntarily" separate yourself from your luggage, but the airline can do it. Happens all the time. You shouldn't have been delayed.

100% agree with everything you said. Wash clothes in the sink? Not since I was 18.

That would have been me. So if you get in at 12:35 and you get in a taxi 15 minutes before I do, unless you are 4 minutes from the airport and dove into bed full speed, you aren't already warm in bed while I'm waiting for a bag. Only a few times in my life (usually SFO) has it taken more than 15-20 minutes to pick up my bags. If there is a line at immigration at SFO or BKK or SIN or PER then quite often I wait less than 5 minutes to pick up my bag.

No way in hell could I do carry on only. It's a big stretch to try and only half fill two suitcases so I have room to bring home purchases. Many a times I've had to buy a third suitcase for the return home.

The airline is a business. They are in the business to make money.

For me it's the other direction. Going to Thailand my wife will easily fill 2 large suitcases with goodies for her relatives. I check my guitar. That leaves 1 suitcase for all of our clothes. We were checking 5 or 6 sometimes but now we have to honor ANA's baggage rules so we're limited to 4 for free.

For me the decision of whether to pack all in a carry-on or to check a bag (or multiple bags) is a completely practical one and thus is made on a trip by trip basis. My rule is to take what I need for the trip and as little else as possible. Often that fits in a roll-aboard suitcase and a briefcase. When I need more stuff, I pack it and I check a bag. I don't see the wisdom in making a rule out of what size bag you allow yourself. That's just playing games and bragging about the result.

Im not sure if its popular.

But quite a few times now, I have brought a carry on only and shopped for clothes at my destination. I donated them to charity (shops usually but I did once give them to a happy homeless guy on the street) before I flew home.

I look for very possible way to minimize wait time, for me 99% carry on only regardless the length of stay.

This makes no sense unless shopping is your idea of fun. The main reason not to check bags is to save time. How much time does all that shopping take? Probably a lot more than if you'd waited for your checked luggage.

The second reason not to check is the potential of lost luggage. If it happens you have to go out and buy clothes which you are doing already. So you are going through the same exercise as someone whose luggage doesn't arrive each time you travel even though lost luggage is a quite rare event.

That's my approach too. Take what you need, check if you have to. Going to extreme lengths to avoid checking a bag is a bit silly but those who do love to brag about it.

There is a whiff of smugness among the "I never check" crowd. I wonder how sophisticated and worldly they feel hunched over the hotel room sink scrubbing their soiled panties every night? ;)

I never ever check a bag. Always carry-on only (a 40L North Face rucksack, rather than a wheelie). It fits well inside standard hand luggage dimensions on most airlines and looks small enough not to be checked on the rest. I did get it weighed once on an Air Asia flight but the agent simply shrugged and said "that's fine" (it was around 1kg over). I've done three weeks in Australia and New Zealand like this, and often 10 days in the US, in all weathers. Usually, my bag is even half empty on the way out, but fills up as I collect stuff when away. Why do I do this? So my bag is always in my view, no risk of the airline losing it and straight out the airport upon arrival. When I'm dashing around sightseeing, the last thing I want to do is wheel a case behind me, or leave it somewhere where it could be tampered with. It'll even just about fit under the seat in front if the overheads are full!

I've managed to convince my girlfriend to do likewise on an upcoming 10 day trip to Asia... we'll see how that one goes!

It's right. I guess it depends on the person. My mom even checks her carry on sized bag because she doesn't like to have to lug it around the airport.

I started flying with a large 21in bag and I'm down to a 14in rolling tote. For most trips, the full size carry on was half empty. I wouldn't have been able to jump on earlier flights or made alternative flights during IRROPS if I had checked luggage -or I'd have made it without my bag.

I have very few possessions (I could probably fit everything I own in three or four bags), so this light traveling suits my lifestyle and I don't feel restrained by it.

Rarely check bags. I usually just take a small business style (B&R) backpack. I keep a clothing cache at most of my destinations so I don't really need to pack clothes most of the time.

Not going to happen. I'm smart enough to know that I don't want to arrive at CMH 12:35am. Ever. :D

More seriously, though, when I am traveling for work, my carry-on is filled with equipment necessary for work. I barely have space for the emergency kit in case my checked luggage is delayed. Even so, checking luggage really isn't that much of a deal for me. The 2 percent extra time on my 15 hour+ travel time (one-way) spent waiting for luggage at the carousel just isn't going to be a make-or-break for me. Frankly, if I could check more, I would. I hate having to tote around all the carry-on that I do have to bring on transits through massive European and Asian hub airports. I spend far more time transiting through airports than I do waiting for luggage.

I have never had a piece of luggage truly lost. I have had luggage delayed only three times. In all cases, it arrived at my home or hotel within hours of my arrival.

Sure, on a short, one or two-day trip I wouldn't bother to check, but I have very few of those.

I dont feel smug about carry on only, but it is sure nice after a long flight to just head for the door. My pet peeve is the carryon only backpackers. Here the airline is scrutinizing all the rolling luggage, but in walks backpackers with a small backpack that just meets carryon size, and a bigger one about the size of a Saint Bernard dog. Good grief! It takes up the overhead bin almost!