Have you ever traveled without luggage?

[DisneyFan32WI]

I booked a trip to Memphis coming up. It is only an overnight trip (Friday-Saturday). I was thinking that our clothes/personal toiletries could just go in a backpack as a carry-on.
Can most things travel on a plane as a carry-on bag? Any restrictions? Anything that might get thrown out?

I think we would only be bringing a change of clothes, pajamas, shampoo/conditioner/body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush, camera, IPod, phone, medication for my mom's diabetes, etc.

Please let me know your thoughts! (If it worked, if if didn't and why, things you can't bring on the plane, etc.)

I assume they let you bring insulin on the plane, right? Even though it is a needle??
TIA!

 

[triton45]

You are allowed a personal bag and a carry on bag. Your personal bag can be a purse, briefcase or laptop bag. I carry my laptop in my backpack which then allows me 2 bags to carry on. I don't check luggage unless the trip is longer than 1 week.

Don't know about the insulin, but all other liquids have to be 3oz or smaller and in 1 quart ziplock bag.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

And they can't be in a container bigger than 3 oz even if most of it is gone. For example.. the toothpaste cannot be a 6 oz tube with 2/3 gone. The tube has to be marked 3 oz or less. Check your airline website.. the restrictions should be described on there.

 

[SandrA9810]

Medication and things like baby formula/breast milk are under different classifications and are allowed through security with more than just 3oz. TSA can't prevent some one with a medical need from flying. Although you'll have to show everything. And I would pack it separately in a bag that can be placed within a bookbag or purse.

I fly all the time with just a roller carry on and my backpack. The thought is, one item to go under the seat and the other item to go in the overhead.

Shampoos and body wash and other liquids need to be placed in 3oz bottles and no more than what can fit into a quart size ziploc.
If it's just overnight, could you wash your hair in the morning before departing, and then the night you get back home?? Then just use a bar for soap or whatever the hotel provides. A travel size tube of toothpaste should be more than enough for the two of you, and deodorant is generally under 3oz, but double check if you use a gel. I use a clear solid at 2oz for a full size.

 

[melancholywings]

We did this with diabetes a couple of weeks ago. And I don't think I'd ever want to fly with checked luggage again. It was so easy.

For her diabetes supplies she can fly with one extra carry on provided it only contains medical stuff and it is not restricted to the liquid size rules - but if there is any personal stuff in that bag the airlines can charge you extra. We usually fly with all DD's diabetes stuff in an extra backpack. Needles, insulin and everything should go through TSA fine, as well as low supplies but make sure you have a doctor's note. You never know what kind of TSA agent you'll get - and it's better to have that on hand. The travel note should list the supplies she needs. And even though you are suppose to be allowed to bring water and juice in as a medical supply it can be a real pita to do it. I usually buy it past security because I don't want to have to deal with it. Also I would recommend the doctor's note make mention that you need ice packs to keep the insulin cool. When we went through TSA a few weeks back we had one agent that had a problem with the size of our ice pack.
Is she on a pump? DD is on the Omnipod and can not disconnect - we have not gone through the new scanners yet but I would opt out due to the radiation and insulin (I don't know if it would cause a problem?) and ask for a hand check.

You can also ask at the gate desk if you can get tags and check your pilotcases (not the medical bag through always keep that with you - or any electronics, or irreplacable stuff) for curbside checking. They usually have you leave your bags at the door of the plane and will put it under the plane - so you don't have to drag them through the cabin, then when they land the bags will reappear there again. We did this and it was so wonderful not to have to drag so much stuff through those tiny isles and try and put it in the overhead bins. We were on a tiny plane so everyone had to do it and it made it so much faster to disembark.

 

[homercrispy]

we recently came back from 10 days in disney world. rather than spend $50 per bag, we took only carry-on. it is amazing the things that you don't actually need.
after flying past the baggage claim, we will probably not bother with checked luggage again.

 

[surfgirl]

We traveled to Paris and London, as a family of 5 with no checked luggage... you can do it - for an overnight, it is incredibly easy!

Just make sure your liquids are less than 3 oz. Staying in a hotel ? Use their shampoo, etc.

 

[stichy]

My BIL can go on a week long vacation with only a backpack. He wears layers onto the plane.

 

[beansmom]

We traveled to Paris and London, as a family of 5 with no checked luggage... you can do it - for an overnight, it is incredibly easy!

Just make sure your liquids are less than 3 oz. Staying in a hotel ? Use their shampoo, etc.

ok, i wanna know HOW you did this. I'm gong to Italy for 12 days and I want to go light...tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[java]

I went to Europe with just a backpack many moons ago. I was there for 6 weeks. I traveled light by necessity.

I packed 2 tank tops, a pair of shorts, a bathing suit, 2 dresses,a cotton skirt, a white shirt and a bunch of scarves and accessories to mix it all up. I wore my sneakers and packed a pair of "shoes".

So if I could do over a month overseas with just a backpack- you could easily do an overnight.

 

[alwaysmom]

I love the ease of just using a carry-on. We've done it with a family of 4 anywhere from an overnight to a 9 day vacation. Each person has there own rolling bag and/or backpack. Once you do it it gets easier each time. I use trial size everything.

 

[3goofyboys]

Before I had my kids, carry-on was the only way I traveled. I used to travel for a week at a time out of a backpack, didn't even need a roller bag. I can't wait for my kiddos to get bigger and stop needing so much stuff so we can travel that way again!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We often travel that way. I'm taking my son and his best friend to WDw for a long weekend and I think I'm going to tell his best friend's mom to limit it to what fits in a backpack.

 

[surfgirl]

ok, i wanna know HOW you did this. I'm gong to Italy for 12 days and I want to go light...tips are greatly appreciated.

here is a great thread about packing light...

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/packing-light-an-index-of-thereses-what-to-wearpack-posts.cfm


Key for us: plan in one color and accessorize around that color. So what if you are wearing the same thing in every picture!

We traveled in hoodie sweatshirts - a great thing on an overnight flight. Eat beforehand, so after you board, put up the hood and block out everything you can. It is a great 'mental' block to put the hood up. We then carried one other sweatshirt - a lighterweight one, so we had the heavier one and a lighter one. We packed lightweight windbreakers that were rainproof. When we didn't wear them, they easily stuffed into a daypack.

I had each kid choose their favorite book that they couldn't *wait* to read... that got packed into my bag and wasn't touched until the plane ride home. Gave them something to look forward to.

Pack lollipops or jolly ranchers in your carryon. You never know when a jolly rancher solves a problem! Also, my kids like to drink lemonade - not available in Europe. We packed the individual packets of lemonade/fruit punch and added them to water bottles. (they add virtually no weight).

The 8yo pulled the rollerbag, I carried a backpack with electronics and a backpack carryon, Mr. Surf carried a pc bag and 2 duffels, and the other two kids carried their own backpacks.

We still had too much clothes - altho we were lucky to have laundry facilities at our apartment in Paris. We only did 2 pr. shoes - sneakers for everyday wear and casual flip flops or crocs if we were bumming around. I, too, dealt with 2 pr. shoes - sneakers and sandals (closed toe) that worked with capris. It was colder than I thought and we didn't wear shorts at all. I would probably only pack one pair. The kids wore wind pants on the plane over and those were their pj's throughout the trip.

Plan to visit a local store for shampoo (if not at a hotel), and other sundry items. It is fun to buy things in another culture!

send me a pm if you've more questions...

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can also ask at the gate desk if you can get tags and check your pilotcases (not the medical bag through always keep that with you - or any electronics, or irreplacable stuff) for curbside checking. They usually have you leave your bags at the door of the plane and will put it under the plane

As far as I know, that's only done when the overhead compartments are full - not as a service or courtesy for passengers who simply don't want to check luggage but also don't want to haul it onto the plane.

 

[honeydiane1953]

No

 

[quentina]

I booked a trip to Memphis coming up. It is only an overnight trip (Friday-Saturday). I was thinking that our clothes/personal toiletries could just go in a backpack as a carry-on.
Can most things travel on a plane as a carry-on bag? Any restrictions? Anything that might get thrown out?

I think we would only be bringing a change of clothes, pajamas, shampoo/conditioner/body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush, camera, IPod, phone, medication for my mom's diabetes, etc.

Please let me know your thoughts! (If it worked, if if didn't and why, things you can't bring on the plane, etc.)

I assume they let you bring insulin on the plane, right? Even though it is a needle??
TIA!

We have never had a problem with needles. I do carry a letter however; I have never been asked for it.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Thanks everyone for all the replies!

 

[beansmom]

As far as I know, that's only done when the overhead compartments are full - not as a service or courtesy for passengers who simply don't want to check luggage but also don't want to haul it onto the plane.

i frequently offer to gate check my bag to free up overhead space. I've never been turned down yet. I'm not gonna pay to check it but I will let them as a courtesy so there is enough overhead room.

 

[JamesMom]

In the spring of 2001 I lived 5 weeks in Cyprus for work then took a week between London & Paris. I brought a drag along case & a sachel--that's it. I had a portable DVD player (with library as there was only 1 English channel in Cyprus), clothes, guide & language books, wedding planner (my wedding was 10 days after I got back in WDW), and toiletries (before 9/11 so size didn't matter). While my bags were stuffed to capacity with the few souveniers I picked up along the way it was sooo much easier taking the trains & planes between cities with only two very manageable bags. So, yes, it can be done BTW - I brought more stuff to Disney for the wedding then I did for the 6 weeks I was in Europe, lol.