So the debate continues, which is better? To check a bag or carry on? That is the question. There are a lot of people out there who have strong opinions on whether or not to check a bag or carry one on. Most of these people will staunchly support their reasoning for preferring one over the other.
I’m a pretty moderate person though. I think there are different situations that warrant different ways of traveling. I am predominantly a carry on only gal though. After years of travel this is what works best for me and my family.
So which is right for you and for your trip? There are factors that play into which will be right for you and your situation. Let take a look at the pros and cons of each option.
Bonus: down below I will talk about what items to bring in your personal item bag. Check out my post on surviving a long haul flight here.
Checked Bags
What is a checked bag? It is any item that you hand over to the airline to store beneath the plane in the hold area. This can include a regular suitcase, usually anything larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches would need to be checked. Also things like Sports equipment, Ski’s , and Oddly shaped bags would all need to be checked.
Checked Bags Pros
- You need to pack oddly shaped items. The example I see of this most often at the Salt Lake City airport, is ski’s . A lot of people travel to Utah to ski and pack their own ski’s
- Hands Free: Checking a bag allows you to navigate through the airport easier because you won’t be lugging your large bag around with you
- Can pack a larger variety of items, like full sized liquids. Bringing back a bottle of wine from your Napa valley vacay? That will need to be checked.
- More room: A larger bag means more room to pack. This can be really beneficial if you are taking a longer trip or are planning on bringing back a bunch of souveniers. I work with a lady who regularly goes back to Thailand to see her family and she is always bringing a large checked suitcase, she leaves it mostly empty on the way there, and fills it up with all kinds of things to bring back to the States with her. So this can really make sense if this is the kind of travelling you are doing.
- Less TSA stress: TSA (security) must scan all the items that you are bringing through security. If you checked your bag, you will have less items for security to go through. Potentially making your trip through security faster and less stressful.
- No Lifting: Checking a bag instead of bringing on a carry on could be helpful if you have an injury and can’t lift a bag up into the overhead bin. Flight attendants are not supposed to help lift bags into the overhead bins. They can help move bags around but they aren’t there to lift your bags for you.
- Limited overhead bin space: This is a big one, if you check a bag you won’t have to worry about fighting for overhead bin space, especially if your seat falls in a later boarding stage.
Checked bag Cons
- Money: Checked bags usually cost money. Airlines typically charge fees for each bag you check, and this can add up especially if your bag is over the weight limit. You should always check with the airline you are flying, for fees required for checked bags, they vary from airline to airline. Fees also increased in 2024. One way you can get around this, is booking a seat that includes a checked bag in the price, these tickets are usually pricier though. Or if you have a credit card with travel rewards that include a checked bag for free.
- Weight Restrictions: Checked bags in the USA must follow a 50 lb weight limit. If your bag is more than 50 pounds be prepared to pay an overweight bag fee in addition to the checked bag fee.
- Lost luggage: This one had personally happened to me. I was 17 years old and traveling to Europe for New Year’s vacation and the airline lost my luggage. So I was stuck in Europe in the middle of winter without my big coat, or my clothes. It was awful. Airlines can lose your bag, and it happens more frequently if you are changing planes. It happens less frequently if you will be on the same plane.
- Mis-handled bags: Bless the staff who have to load and unload your bags from the planes hold area. That has got to be a tough job. That being said, bags are thrown around and generally man-handled. If you have breakable or fragile items, you would be better off carrying them on the plane with you.
- Lithium Ion batteries: These can’t be checked. So if you are flying with a laptop, I-pad, or gaming system, you will have to carry these onto the plane with you. The reasoning behind this, is lithium ion batteries have been known to start fire. If they are checked into the plane hold, there is no one down there to see if your device has started a fire.
- Waiting at Baggage claim: Checking a bag means you will have to wait at the baggage claim area to retrieve your bag after your flight. This can be time consuming, and crowded, and increase your stress levels.
- Bulky on public transportation: If you are taking public transportation to get to your final destination, having a large bag with you is more cumbersome. Trains typically have size and weight restrictions for luggage. Buses or the metro don’t usually have a specific spot to store your luggage so you’ll have to keep it with you at your seat, which can take up a lot more room and cause frustrations.
Some items you should never pack in your checked bag include
- Your passport: Keep your passport on your person at all times. I have heard horror stories of people missing their international cruise because they had packed their passport in their checked luggage and didn’t have it with them for check in.
- Medication: Keep your medication with you. If your bag gets lost, you want to have your medications with you.
- Cash and Credit Cards: Keep your money on you, and don’t pack it. Again your bag could get lost, or heaven forbid stolen, along with your money and credit cards. Better to always keep your money on you.
- Lithium Ion Batteries: You will need to keep your laptop, smartphone, gaming system and etc with you and carry it on the plane. See section above for the reason.
If you have questions about what you can and can’t bring in your checked luggage, check out the TSA rules here.
Carry On Bags
A carry on bag is one that you carry on with you onto the plane and store in the planes overseat bins. This way you have your bag with you at all times. There are size restrictions for carry on bags however there isn’t a universal carry on sizing guide. Each airline varies in what size of bag is considered a carry on size. A carry on bag can be a large backpack, a rolling suitcase, or a tote bag. Check out my long flight tips here.
Carry on Pros
- Faster: Bringing a carry on is arguably faster, because you keep your bag with you at all times, you won’t need to wait at baggage claim to retrieve your bag after your flight. You can grab and go.
- Never lose your bag: Because you are keeping your bag with you at all times, you don’t have to worry about your bag getting lost or thrown around. Making this a good option, especially if you have fragile things in your bag.
- No weight limit: Carry on bags are not weighed by the airline (USA only). The exception to this is internationally. A lot of international airlines do weigh your carry on bag and weight limits can vary but are typically between 16-18 lbs.
- Free: Carry on bags are usually free. Spirit and Frontier however do often charge a fee for carry on bags, check with your individual airline before you fly.
- Easier to bring on public transportation: When I travel, I’m usually taking some form of public transportation, or do some walking with my luggage. Having a smaller and lighter bag, with less packed, makes this a lot less of a headache. For example if you are traveling to Tokyo, you will need to take the metro from the airport to your accomodation, and likely walk from the train station to your hotel.
Carry on Cons
- Liquids are limited: if you are bringing your bag through security they will restrict the amount of liquid you can bring through security with you. You are allowed 1 quart sized clear bag, with indiviual liquid size a maximum of 3.4 ounces each or 100ml. At security you will need to remove the quart bag with your liquids inside and send it though the scanner in a bin. The exception to this is if you have TSA pre-check or Global entry, you won’t have to remove the bag of liquids from your luggage at security. Either way you are only allowed one quart sized bag of liquids per person.
- Bag size limits: Carry on bags are limited to a certain size or smaller. Typically they need to be 22x14x9 inches or smaller, including the wheels and handles. This is so that your bag will actually fit into the overhead bins. If your bag is too big they will make you check it at the gate. You can avoid this by testing out your carry on bag in the airlines sizer bin, located near the check in desk before going through security.
- Limited Overhead Bin space: Have you ever boarded a plane last and found very little overhead bin room for your bag? If you are in a seat section that boards last you may find yourself with no room in the overhead bins near your seat, or no room at all. If this happens, they will gate check your bag and you will have to wait after your flight at the plane ramp to collect your bag before leaving.
Personal Item Bags
A personal item bag is any bag that will fit under the seat in front of you. This sizing varies for each airline, with smaller regional planes having smaller underseat area. Savvy travelers use this bag as an extension of their luggage, for bringing more with them. Personal item bags are restricted in size, and typically must be smaller than 18x14x8 including wheels (if any) and handle. Check your airline for personal item sizing information.
Personal item bags can be a small backpack, a tote bag, a diaper bag, a laptop bag, or a purse. The exceptions to this are a medical device (like a C-Pap) as it doesn’t count as a carry on or personal item.
Bonus
What should you bring in your personal item bag? Think of this as all the things you are going to need access to use during the flight.
- laptop and personal electronics
- snacks and water
- compression socks (for long flights)
- a neck pillow
- Medications
- Contacts and/or glasses
- A book to read
- Headphones or ear plugs
To decide whether or not to check a bag, think of your trip and your needs. It may make sense to check a bag if you are renting a car at your destination and don’t have to worry about lugging a large bag on public transport.
I personally love my large travel backpack, I have one and my partner has one and we take them on every trip. For us it is easier to pack lighter than worry about a checked bag.
The backpack I have is a few years old, so they don’t make that particular design anymore, however I’m linking a similar bag here, in case you are in the market for a new travel backpack. I love that my hands are free with a backpack option, and the 2 over the shoulder straps help distribute the weight evenly across my back.
Let me know what you prefer, checked or carry on, and what your favorite travel suitcase is.
If you would like to read more travel tips, read my post here about flight tips from a nurse: long haul flights.
Happy travels
– Beck
Disclaimer: Some of the links are affiliate links. If you purchase from the link, there is no extra cost to you, but I may earn a small commission. Thank you
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