Never Check a Bag Again With These Tips
How and why I carry on
I fly about 100,000 miles a year, and I never, ever check a bag (OK, unless it’s a ski trip).
Not for a two-week summer trip to Europe, not for my around-the-world trip … never. The extra time you spend waiting for checked bags and the risk of getting separated from your things just aren’t worth the trade-off, in my opinion.
Here’s how I avoid checking a bag on virtually every trip:
Size matters: First, get the biggest carry-on the airlines you fly will allow. When I fly domestically, that’s the Away Bigger Carry-On. I adore this bag, and it holds more than you’d think. Check your airline’s size limits for carry-on luggage before you fly to ensure your bag is compliant.
Compression, compression, compression: Next, use packing cubes. I’m not a fan of gadgets and gizmos, but packing cubes are great for packing efficiently, I promise. Also, when used strategically, they can be part of a bedbug avoidance strategy.
Pack light: You can’t travel with everything you own in a carry-on, but by using our best tips for packing in a carry-on, you can bring a lot. Bulky items like extra jackets and multiple pairs of shoes are the enemies of the carry-on, so go light on those. Also, I’m a fan of rolling clothes, not folding them.
Track your bag: Get an AirTag for your bag (even if you don’t think you need to check it), and sometimes you can save up to 40% at Amazon if you have an offer on your account.
Board early: Finally, to ensure you can board before the overhead bins are full, here are some cards that will help you get priority boarding.
With these tips help you should be able to comfortably pack everything in a carry-on no matter where you’re headed. Tell me below — are you team carry-on or team checked bag?
Team carry on mainly bc I have too much anxiety about them losing the bag like you mentioned!! I think the last time I checked a bag was when I studied abroad in Spain (5 month trip)
I am 5'11, female. How do I roll my size L long jeans, slacks, turtle necks, winter sweaters, fleece lined leggings and one dress in a carry on for a two week trip? I would love to travel with only a carryon, I use compression sacks to "shrink wrap" everything, I put outfits together so I pack as little as possible, but just can't fit everything into a carryon due to size of clothes.