As God is my witness, I will never complain about baggage fees again!

[MinnieLee]

I just fly Southwest. Check two bags free and I get a carryon. Woohoo!!

"LUV" Southwest!!!!!! They are the best! I always bring more than I should, travel with too many suitcases and would have to pay the equivalant to another ticket for luggage!

SWA is great!

 

[malibuconlee]

OK I was joking about a whole bag just for shoes and purses. Sorry it didn't come across that way.

I also have curly hair and the hairdryer with diffuser takes up room. Can't get away with not bring that, wish I could. Just happy I use SW so I don't have to worry about bags!

And yes, Vegas is when I am at my girliest. I like to take extra shoes and make-up and choices in outfits, I don't know what the girls are gonna want to do until we get there and do it. At home its no makeup , pony tail,tennis shoes, capris and whatever shirt I throw on. FURTHEST from girlie you'd get, that's why I don't consider myself a girlie girl.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Seriously, carry-on only for a vacation of any length, no. But it's more than possible to consolidate and keep everything to one checked bag. Plan.

I plan. I plan to wear alot of clothes!

 

[loxie]

OK I was joking about a whole bag just for shoes and purses. Sorry it didn't come across that way.

I also have curly hair and the hairdryer with diffuser takes up room. Can't get away with not bring that, wish I could. Just happy I use SW so I don't have to worry about bags!

And yes, Vegas is when I am at my girliest. I like to take extra shoes and make-up and choices in outfits, I don't know what the girls are gonna want to do until we get there and do it. At home its no makeup , pony tail,tennis shoes, capris and whatever shirt I throw on. FURTHEST from girlie you'd get, that's why I don't consider myself a girlie girl.

I have to take a diffuser with blowdryer to, but also a curling iron, hair straightener, & battery operated round brush..hahha Thats why I dont understand how ppl can take carry on onlys.

 

[ironz]

Currently on a 2-1/2 week trip...business and a conference, in two different climates.

I have a laptop bag (that has a small compartment for clothes and stuff), and one suitcase, which is either 24" or 22" ...it looks close to carryon size, but I always check it.

I have with me:
3 pairs of pants and one pair jeans
One dress
One skirt
2 heavy-ish sweaters
2 light weight cardigans
1 pullover lightweight sweater
another pullover top
3 tank tops (to layer with each other or the sweaters)
2 more sleeveless casual tops
1 tee shirt (Disney, of course!)
3 workout outfits (tops/jogbras and shorts/running skirts)
one pair track pants
one sweatshirt
one rain jacket
one pair pajamas
7-10 socks and undies, 2-3 bras
3 pair shoes: running shoes, sandals, and heels for work.

Laptop
flat iron
camera
kindle
ipod
phone
chargers for all of those
travel size toiletries and makeup, including moisturizers, etc
deodorant
razor
magazine
work paperwork and travel info
sunglasses and reading glasses
small quilting project

I did get to do laundry a couple of times on the first 2 weeks of the trip. But it's all a matter of planning and packing well.

 

[eliza61]

Currently on a 2-1/2 week trip...business and a conference, in two different climates.

I have a laptop bag (that has a small compartment for clothes and stuff), and one suitcase, which is either 24" or 22" ...it looks close to carryon size, but I always check it.

I have with me:
3 pairs of pants and one pair jeans
One dress
One skirt
2 heavy-ish sweaters
2 light weight cardigans
1 pullover lightweight sweater
another pullover top
3 tank tops (to layer with each other or the sweaters)
2 more sleeveless casual tops
1 tee shirt (Disney, of course!)
3 workout outfits (tops/jogbras and shorts/running skirts)
one pair track pants
one sweatshirt
one rain jacket
one pair pajamas
7-10 socks and undies, 2-3 bras
3 pair shoes: running shoes, sandals, and heels for work.

Laptop
flat iron
camera
kindle
ipod
phone
chargers for all of those
travel size toiletries and makeup, including moisturizers, etc
deodorant
razor
magazine
work paperwork and travel info
sunglasses and reading glasses
small quilting project

I did get to do laundry a couple of times on the first 2 weeks of the trip. But it's all a matter of planning and packing well.

I grovel at your feet. I'm not sure I would want to do this though. 1 pair of jeans for 17 days would have me shopping after day 3. Good job. Let me ask, when I travel for business I usually eat out for dinner. do you change clothes or simply go from work to dinner? I don't do laundry as a rule on vacation unless the washer/dryer are in the room with me, so when I go to Disney in August I tend to take 7 bras, luckily they don't take up space.

 

[ironz]

The jeans are getting washed no less than every 2nd or 3rd wearing (they get too icky and stretched out otherwise). Also..one of the pairs of pants is corduroys...borderline casual for work, but can function as casual pants for after work/weekends/travel days. During the week, if I go to dinner with colleagues, I just wear what I wore to work. But I don't do that every night (would weigh 300 lbs if I did that!). I often will either go back to my 'home away from home' and chill...or go run and then chill out. I do stay in a Bed and breakfast/exec apt on this particular trip (well, at least the first 2 weeks of it), and it has a washer/dryer. Could I do this on another trip without the W/D? I think I would have to find one. If I had to, the underthings and workout clothes are easily hand washed.

But my point really was...you can take plenty between one carryon and one checked bag...if you plan well.

Happy traveling!!

 

[Lyndarella]

I'm glad to find out that other people pack underwear they plan to throw away! I thought maybe I was the only one who did that!

I also take sleep shirts that are well worn, and throw them away too! I never sleep in the same shirt twice, so I have lots of those -- and when they're gone, it leaves space to bring home new clothes that I buy on vacation!

 

[TZMOM]

Going to Vegas myself next May for a few days. I've never really thought about just taking carry on since most of my recent trips have been overseas & you get "free" luggage allowance. It stinks that we have to pay on some airlines now for luggage - but I'd rather pay someone to lift my suitcase and "deliver" it to me at baggage pickup than try to shove it overhead possibly 10 rows back (since everyone takes advantage of the carry on now and uses up all the overhead space.)

Just wondering - how much space do underwear/T-shirts take up that there's so much space for other stuff on the way back? Are you rolling your stuff, using space bags?

 

[backyardponder]

Took a romantic trip to Vegas with my sweetie and decided to try this "carryon bag only" craze that every one is latching on too.

Said in my best Scarlett O'hara imitation: "As God is my witness I'll never go without 2 pair of shoes again"!!

Some findings:

1) this wash your undies & shirts out in the sink movement is waaaay overrated. Or maybe I just sweat too much. Sorry, coming back to your room and having to wash out your white shirt because you need it in 24 hours to go with the preplanned dinner outfit really does kill the "spontenity" (sp)

2) Maybe I need a 12 step program but yes, I really do need a pair of strappy sandals. Sorry that cute little dress just doesn't have the same "look" with a pair of black comfortable flats.

3) No matter how many tops I paired my black pair of jeans with, I was still wearing the same thing 3 days in a row. I know, no one here knows me but hey why can't I want to look nice all for my lonesome.

So I'm throwing in the towel, I'll eat lunch at my desk and budget in the fees because when I go to Paris in May, the only thing I'm hanging over the shower curtain rod will be the shower curtain.

When you go to Europe, most airlines allow you to check one 50 pound bag per person at no charge. Check your airline's web site.

 

[Manda]

I think maybe you just need to learn to pack better, not less. I travel carry-on only almost always and I never, ever have had to wash out my undies in the sink. And I always bring a couple pair of shoes. I do re-wear jeans, but nothing else... and always have plenty of room for lots of extra undies, bras, and whatevers. When we take long weekends to Vegas, my carry-on isn't usually even full - I just stuff extras in because I can. When we went to WDW for 5 nights in June, I managed to pack 10 outfits and 2 pairs of shoes (plus everything else) in each of our carry-ons and it wasn't even tight. For our August trip, it was 8 nights and we just don't own enough shorts for that, so I did have to do laundry - but not in the sink. And I would've had to do that even if we'd checked a bag.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Interesting thread. I never check luggage. I am going to France for 2 weeks next summer and none of my party will be checking luggage even if it is free. I always manage to pack 2 paris of shoes plus the ones I wear on the plane and enough underwear for 7 days. A trip longer than a week requires a washing machine which is usually found in the house or apt we tend to rent on longer trips.

Money is only part of the reason I don't check. Have you ever had your flight cancelled late at night, no other flights until the morning, and your bag already checked through security. They won't give it back to you once it has gone through security. Then you are stuck at a hotel with no toiletries, no clean underwear, no pajamas. Never again!

 

[WDWAliens]

Good news - the French don't really dig those American showers. You'll get a very nice soaking tub. And if they are trying to be nice to you as an American expecting a shower, a little glass partition on one end to sort of keep the water from the hand held spray head in the tub area if you insist on trying to shower

And deodorant isn't that big a thing in France (perfume is the thing), so after a sweaty walk on the Champs D'Elysee, you'll smell right at home!!

Thats great!!!and very true.

 

[C.Ann]

I could never do just a carry-on.. Even for an overnight trip.. Just not humanly possible.. When and if I ever fly again, you can be sure that it will be "to" and "from" someplace that SouthWest flies.. LOL..

 

[leebee]

Observations/questions:

I find it more of a hassle to travel in just carry-ons than to check luggage. With the carryon, you have to drag it through the airport from flight to flight (and if I fly from BGR, my "home" airport, it's often two connections/three planes to get anywhere), hoist it in and out of an overhead bin which may or may not be near your seat, etc. For us it's WAY easier to hand the bag to the xray machine guys at check-in and pick it up at the end of the last leg of our trip.

I saw a video of a flight attendant who showed how to pack for 10 days in a pilot's case (carry-on size) . The trick is to roll everything, which takes up less room. Check You-tube. I discovered that I could do this, pretty closely, if all toiletries were travel sized and I put the hairdryer in my backpack (the other trick- take a backpack as your personal item, they'll let you take both a backpack and a laptop case). Some of the things in my backpack are 3oz. bottles of liquid toiletries, travel sized toothpaste, and any liquid/gel makeup in a quart-sized baggie, any other makeup, clean teeshirt (that goes with the pants I am wearing) and panties, hairbrush, tooth brush, just in case my luggage goes on vacation without me. This means there's also plenty of space for other stuff, and we are always prepared for an unexpected delay- or beneficial bump!!

We always carry sweatshirt-weight hoodies with us on the plane. Wear it on, or tie it around your waist so it doesn't take up packing space. People gave us funny looks in August, but the airplanes were freezing, and we both wore our hoodies while in-flight. Good thing, too; with the airlines cutting back so much, very often there aren't any blankets onboard anymore. If you don't need to wear the hoodie, it's usually pretty easy to find overhead bin space to stuff it into.

DD and I did 10 days in WDW in August with one checked suitcase, one carryon, and one backpack. Sounds like a lot, but we had plenty of space for room decorations, park snacks, misty fans, toiletries, medications, dressy outfit (late dinner at Cali Grill), changes of shoes (necessary for me- and I am talking crocs, not strappy fun shoes!), and changes of clothes (although I did laundry one night because we don't own that many bras pairs of shorts- thank heavens for Febreeze!!), plus tons of space for souvenirs (not WDW, but 1st trip to WWHP!!!). The only real hassle we had was with DD's carryon, as it often had to be stashed in an overhead bin WAY in the back of the plane, making it difficult to get off the plane to make a quick connection.

On that free shipping w/$25 purchase from CVS or Walgreens- do they ship water, too?? (not to start a new thread....)

SO... what works best for us in one LARGE suitcase and judicial packing, and maybe a carry-on if the trip is too long. Now, if DH were to come along, I guess we'd have to take a checked bag and two carry-ons, but then I wouldn't be the one worrying about schlepping the carry-ons !

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

I can pack for a week or so in my carryon on i just take a big purse as you can have a personal item and carryon

 

[high meadows]

Well, medicines, hair curler, shampoo, conditioner, slippers (avoid athlete's foot that way), gifts, toothpaste and brush, makeup, hairbrush, snacks for times stranded on the tarmack, book or kindle, sunglasses, hat, guidebook, surprises for the kids, pashmina, pillow (avoid other surprising bugs). Makes a full bag.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Some of you are really accompished packers! I am almost packed for my cruise next week, and I have done one checked bag for each of us, and we'll bring one carry on because we need a day bag for the cruise. We usually only bring a larger purse and possibly the portable DVD player - everything we bring fits under our seats.
I do have a thought. If everyone packed enough clothes for a week or 10 days in a carry on, not everyone could carry on. There just isn't enough room, and most carry ons that I see are stretching the limits of the permisable measurements. So if some people pack checked baggage, it leaves room for the "carry oners!"

 

[irishdadx4]

LOL I have done a lot of things in the shower but never washed my undies

John Travolta does it in "Staying Alive", the sequel to Saturday Night Fever.....takes a shower and does is laundry at the same time.

 

[freecia]

Observations/questions:

I find it more of a hassle to travel in just carry-ons than to check luggage. With the carryon, you have to drag it through the airport from flight to flight (and if I fly from BGR, my "home" airport, it's often two connections/three planes to get anywhere), hoist it in and out of an overhead bin which may or may not be near your seat, etc. For us it's WAY easier to hand the bag to the xray machine guys at check-in and pick it up at the end of the last leg of our trip.
!

I'm glad we still have options. Thinking about two or three connections and where my luggage might wind up gives me the heebie jeebies. Plus waiting for it to come off the carousel when I've finally arrived? No Thanks!

Yay Options!