Flying and luggage weight....

[psimon]

Flying United this trip to Aulani. United charges for each bag, $25 for first bag, $35 for second. Max weight per bag without an additional surcharge is 50 pounds.

Obviously, it's easy to determine weight before leaving home, but what about the return trip? Souvenirs can add up in weight. How do you ensure you don't go over on your weight allowances?

thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[kamik86]

Flying United this trip to Aulani. United charges for each bag, $25 for first bag, $35 for second. Max weight per bag without an additional surcharge is 50 pounds.

Obviously, it's easy to determine weight before leaving home, but what about the return trip? Souvenirs can add up in weight. How do you ensure you don't go over on your weight allowances?

thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

I don't know if Aulani has something like Disneyworlds RAC but if it does they have a scale to weigh the bags.

 

[JessM]

You can also pick up a portable travel scale and weigh them in your room before heading home. I got one for christmas one year and its great. Lightweight and compact!

 

[sam_gordon]

You can also pick up a portable travel scale and weigh them in your room before heading home. I got one for christmas one year and its great. Lightweight and compact!

Make sure you allow some "slop" in any scale you purchase though. On our recent trip, I weighed our bag before leaving home... 47 pounds. Perfect! I got to the airport and it weighed on their scale as 53 pounds.

Fortunately, I had packed a second bag (duffle bag, right on top) in the first one to use on the trip home, so it was easy to rearrange.

 

[Lewisc]

Some suggestions I've accumulated over the years:

1. PP is right. Bring an empty duffel bag, no wheels or frame. It's cheaper to check an extra bag then pay for an overweight bag. United charges $35 for a second bag but $100 if your bag is overweight. Easiest thing might to be to budget $35 into the cost of your vacation.
2. Put all your heavy stuff in a carryon sized roller bag.
3. Pack some clothing you're ready to get rid of. Pack half empty bottles of HBA (assuming you're not going to use stuff available in Hawaii) Bring reading material you won't need to bring back. Throw the stuff out in order to have extra room/weight.
4. Consider shipping souvenirs back. Stores might do it. at no cost. A large flat rate priority mail box only costs around $17 to send.
5. Consider purchasing new luggage. An older, well made bag, can weight 15-20 pounds empty.. A new, lightweight bag will weigh under 8 lbs.
6. You know you're going to be close. Pack stuff you can easily get to, a side pocket if available, which you're prepared to either throw out or transfer to a carry-on bag if you're over.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Make sure you allow some "slop" in any scale you purchase though. On our recent trip, I weighed our bag before leaving home... 47 pounds. Perfect! I got to the airport and it weighed on their scale as 53 pounds.

Fortunately, I had packed a second bag (duffle bag, right on top) in the first one to use on the trip home, so it was easy to rearrange.

I have had success re-weighing my bag with my scale right there at the counter. It's interesting to see how the people behind my in the line reacted. I never had to do it for as little as three pounds overweight.

 

[disneycruising]

We have a luggage scale we take on all our trips!

Ours is simular to this one:

http://www.amazon.com/TRAVELON-Lugg...r_1_3?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1373922955&sr=1-3

 

[sam_gordon]

I have had success re-weighing my bag with my scale right there at the counter. It's interesting to see how the people behind my in the line reacted. I never had to do it for as little as three pounds overweight.

The Delta rep never saw the weigh in. The line was short enough, I went to an empty "check in" area and put the bag on the scale and read the weight. Since I had the extra bag, I wasn't going try to argue over 3 pounds.

 

[CPT Tripss]

The Delta rep never saw the weigh in. The line was short enough, I went to an empty "check in" area and put the bag on the scale and read the weight. Since I had the extra bag, I wasn't going try to argue over 3 pounds.

Just curious, did they charge you for an additional bag?

 

[sam_gordon]

Just curious, did they charge you for an additional bag?

No. I was travelling with DW who has the Delta AmEx card, so we each get 1 free checked bag. Like I said, I was planning on checking two bags on the return.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you have a rolling bag, be sure you try to pick it up. I've found that as a bag approaches 50 lbs it gets VERY difficult to carry. You don't realize it if you're rolling it, so for a minute pretend it doesn't have wheels, and see IF you can carry it. If you can't, it might be getting close to 50 lbs.