or satchel, Another decision you need to make is whether you want a bag that opens right around the middle ("clamshell" style) or one with a traditional opening around the top edge. One thing when buying new bags--don't just trust the website vendor's numbers. Additionally you may bring a "Personal Item". "But the airlines never charge extra for gate checking.". Will let you know how it works out! Maximum dimensions: For the cabin bag, the maximum dimensions are 55 x 40 x 20cm, and the personal item should be 35 x 20 x 20cm. Most people carry a suitcase, backpack, or duffel bag as their carry on. Many airlines dont publish specific size guidance. housing and not little balls that are attached to a metal plate that And of course, two wheels are easier on cobblestones. Looks like I will be buying a new bag! Only airline (out of 4 I flew on) that checked it after my bag fit inside that form they have at counters to accept or reject carry-on(s). The most common size for carry on luggage in the United States is22 x 14 x 9 or 45 linear inches(length + width + height). This 45L size will let you max out your packing without breaking any rules. I just did a major declutter of bags. Look for wheels that are attached directly through the wheel housing and not little balls that are attached to a metal plate that is screwed into the bag. Advertising - Thanks for the help! Based on my years of travel experience, I recommend bringing a carry on that complies with your airlines rules. When flying on a basic economy fare, you arent allowed a carry on. Delta does not identify a size, but Air France does: AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ITEMS Look also at the weight. The rules for personal item sizes are even more confusing than those for carry ons. Your travel cabin is shown on your ticket. If youre traveling on multiple airlines, use the strictest size guideline. It wears very well and handles being tossed around if gate checked. Our house blend: tough, anti-lint & water-repellent, "One of the best laptop protection systems weve come across" Pack Hacker, Go far, go wide, go fast with the Carry-on & Daily, Supportive hip pads, streamlined packing cubes. If the bag looks oversized, do not let them get to the jetway. For me: sper lightweight, pretty durable, and inexpensive, Delsey Helium. You can evenweigh your bag at home to make sure it isnt too heavy. Not really sure I needed to do that though cause weight really has never been the issue. How Strict are Airlines About Carry On Sizes? The final consideration for packing your carry on is the TSAs 3-1-1- liquids limit. The clamshells are usually hard-sided. I want to say it boasts of weighing 2 kg which is just a bit over 4 pounds. The 22 height limit includes the wheels and handles for suitcases. Buy a handheld luggage scale for $10-20, and weigh your bag after youve packed for your trip. Many of us are familiar with the exhausting, soul-crushing feeling of trying to squeeze an American-sized carry-on bag into the petite European version of an overhead locker. Other airlines put the limit at 12kg (about 25 lbs) or even more. What are the dates for your tour, we are on that one in June as well? Ive had great success with TravelPro. It delays everyone. I have seen so many stories and warnings about enforcement of the 55 cm carry-on limit by European airlines, I would definitely not risk it-especially with a 23 bag. But in comparing the 2, RS wins out on capacity and price, even tho my guess is the TravelPro might be better quality. On the way back, just check your bag. If you've never used packing cubes, buy a set with your new bag. Some airlines will force half the passengers to check their carry-on at the last minute. You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. If you cant find your favorite brands in 3.4 oz sizes, buy the larger size and squeeze some into a Gotooba refillable silicone bottlefor traveling. I've taken it all over the world without a problem. (never had issues with that size in US) Or do I need to comply and buy a 21x14x9? I just purchased a smallish carryon bag from my HomeGoods. Personal item sizes are trickier than carry on sizes. If you only or mostly fly domestically, a bag measuring 22 x 14 x 9 will work well. Maximum dimensions: No more than 40 x 20 x 25cm. That's ludicrous. or 1 bag for your computer, camera, or any other electronic device. I was forced to check it in and pay for it. With the Tamrac, they have a coat holder so I let go of one pocket. We are booked on our 5th RS tour this May. A ziplock-style plastic bag works fine. Finally, dont forget about weight. Maximum dimensions:Maximum dimensions (including handles and wheels): 55 x 40 x 20cm, and the personal item should be 40 x 30 x 15cm. It weighs 4 lbs. We will be traveling a total of 24 days. They break more easily and are awful on non-smooth surfaces. I love carry-on luggage only travel and have happily used the RS 21 inch 2 wheel bag for multiple trips. Having said that, I now check my bag instead of trying to carry it on for a multitude of reasons. In both cases, you can either pay to add a carry on to your fare or pay extra for a different type of ticket that includes a free carry on. Thats not ideal especially if you carefully packed everything you need for the flight into that bag. Use these summary statistics to find a carry on that fits common measurements and isnt too big in any one dimension. I am excited to be taking my first RS tour in June - Best of Eastern Europe. I questioned their decision but the "discussion" was short as I could see there was no point in looking for an answer. Watch out for products in small containers that are just slightly over the limit. Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers. But i spent about $130 for it (extravagant) to get the lightest one possible. For international travel, I have a RS carry-on wheeled backpack which looks a lot like a suitcase. Don, could it have been that your bags + personal items (if you had those) were over the combined carryon weight allowed? I learned that mistake with one Eagle Creek bag. I was thinking of renting them in Greece but haven't found a venue for that. A hard sided spinner. I have been size-checked by Delta, Air France, Egypt Air, Condor, WIZZ Air, and Lufthansa. Over time, youll develop a good sense of how much you can pack without going over any weight limits. Now it's phrased as "advice.". Ive also included minimums, maximums, and modes (most common) for each region and across every airline. I was able to do a three week trip with a bag well under the 23kg limit for two bags. ;) Any bag favs, besides the RS bags, as I see they have good & bad reviews, but know we would get that on any bag. Instead, choose a bag that fits most airlines, pack light, and weigh your bag before you leave. You must place your personal item in the seat in front of you, unless you are seated in an exit row. However, basic economy tickets are more restrictive. You are going to love the BOE tour. It will be nice to not have it, put your valuables and a few essentials in a day bag. Cabin allowance: 1 cabin bag and 1 small personal item such as a handbag, backpack, or laptop bag that must fit under the seat in front of you. [I]ncludes one piece of carry-on baggage and one personal item weighing a maximum of 10 kg (22 lb) between them (except on domestic flights), Singapore, Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) carry-on should not exceed 15 lbs. (7 kg); Beijing, China Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) requires that domestic hand carry bags should not exceed 10 kg. Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines. It seems my EC Tarmac has been discontinued so happy I purchased it when I did. Remember, European airlines have weight limits and the weight of the bag counts toward that weight limit. Any suggestions would be extremely helpful. little bigger for that bag and it gives me a little wiggle room. There is a size rule, it has to fit under the seat in front of you. But it is a heavier bag than most. And so, with airlines getting stricter when it comes to what you can and cant carry on, we thought wed save you some stress by putting together this handy list of what various European airlines currently allow.(Every airline is different, and the policies can change quickly so it pays to check on the airlines website before you pack your bags.). And frankly any excuse I can find to purchase a new carryon or personal item makes me happy. Use the Air France limits and you will be fine. That is 17.5 lbs. Firstly, when youre packing your carry-on, always ask yourself the hard questions: do I really need fifteen pairs of socks with me on this trip? Carry on luggage is the primary bag you bring onboard a plane and store in the overhead bin. The only European airline I know that will even allow a 22 bag is British Airwaystheir length limit is 56 cm, not 55. Don't buy the I do pack in a carryon bag, but I usually check it (and I was a regular international traveler until Covid). Watch out if you are booked on two different airlines on your one ticket. Make sure to pay attention to the luggage information when booking a flight so that you dont bring too many bags and have to pay for them when you arrive at the airport. Carry on luggage may also be called cabin luggage or hand luggage, especially in Europe. Since the rules arent consistent, youll also learn the minimum and most common sizes by region and around the world. Any discrepancies between measurements are due to converting between metric and imperial and rounding up or down to make the sizes as clear as possible. & Air France. If you are seated in an exit row, your personal item must be stored in the overhead compartment. The carry-on weight was my problem with Air France. I travel with a bag that fits the airline dimensions for my trip and then I dont stress about it. Hot tip: We collected even more airline guidelines here carryonbagsizes.com. Weight allowed: No official weight restriction, but it must be small enough to be stored in the overhead compartment. That sort of thing is very, very common, and in a store you'll probably see only the 25" on the label. I wouldn't want the former, because you need to open the bag flat to have access to all the contents, and European hotel rooms can be very, very small. It is a given that issues may arise with a bag that doesnt comply with the guidelines both for carryon and checked bags. But, my next trip is a hiking trip in Greece which requires hiking poles. Safe travels! I vote for two wheels, as usually the wheels are tucked inside the structure somewhat, and not adding as much to the size. Generally, I check my bag. We wont cover checked luggage in this article. This has only happened to me when I had to check in or get my ticket at the desk. Those four wheels really stick out and add length and weight. We could (and likely will!) We've been on two RS tours, and on each of them, we had hotels with no elevators and the need to carry our bags up 2 or 3 flights of stairs. Maximum dimensions: No more than 40 x 30 x 20cm. Some airlines only specify total linear dimensions, not individual dimensions. I'm not particularly tall but my last wheeled backpack didn't have a long enough telescoping handle and wasn't comfortable to pull. My soft sided spinner bag has made no less than 36 trips to Europe over the last 10 years cost about $40 at Target. I chuckled when I read Wrays post about welcoming any excuse to buy a new bag. Individual length, width and height measurements may not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 (56 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm) respectively I did buy a replacement this year. Getting past the ticketing agent, the gate agent, and the flight attendants can feel like running a gauntlet. I will be going over on Delta & back on Hop! Privacy Statement - Getting to a state of feeling at home even when youre not at home is often an exercise in packing discipline being very deliberate about the things you bring with you on the move.. The sum of all three dimensions (length + width + height). (I am a notorious over packer) I looked into shipping an additional suitcase back to Reno NV from Budapest and the best price I could find is over $300. Some airlines are more restrictive. Delta lets you do a smaller additional item with their 21x14x9 and