Luggage question

[pooch]

I have always travelled with my Eddie Bauer rolling duffle bags with no problem. This year, however, my DBr bought me a new Samsonite 26" upright and DH wants to use that.

To me, it is ENORMOUS, way bigger than I currently use. SWA lists a total measure of no more than 62" for checked bags. This bag is 26x19x11 but that is without wheels/handles/bulges not to mention weight.

Anyone use this or a similar bag? Issues at the airport?

 

[networktek]

you should have no problem our luggage measures 62inches with wheels and handles as long as you fall under the 62inch size they will not give you any problems

 

[pooch]

you should have no problem our luggage measures 62inches with wheels and handles as long as you fall under the 62inch size they will not give you any problems

and is yours a 26" upright? To me, measuring the bag is pretty subjective. How tight do you pull the tape measure - how much does the side bulge out. This bag seems pretty darn close to 62" because its not 26" with wheels/handles, its more like 29". and with the side pockets, its not really 11" but more like 12-13".

DH says "look at the huge bags we see at the airport" but I'd hate to get there and find out I have to pay an oversized bag fee.

 

[siskaren]

26" is a standard luggage size. It doesn't make sense that luggage companies would make luggage in a size that would be too big to take on most airlines. You can buy a luggage scale to make sure your luggage isn't too heavy.

 

[pooch]

26" is a standard luggage size. It doesn't make sense that luggage companies would make luggage in a size that would be too big to take on most airlines. You can buy a luggage scale to make sure your luggage isn't too heavy.

this is what I keep telling myself .

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

26" is a standard luggage size. It doesn't make sense that luggage companies would make luggage in a size that would be too big to take on most airlines. You can buy a luggage scale to make sure your luggage isn't too heavy.

Of course they do! Lots of luggage is oversized. People don't just travel by plane. Also many people are willing to pay to check oversized bags, or they get a higher weight due to frequent flyer status (I can check 70 pound bags free for domestic travel on UA).

If you're measuring your luggage, be sure and include wheels and handles.

 

[jayhawk74]

Being a 26" suitcase shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure you don't over pack and it ends up weighing more than 50 pounds because then you will be charged a fee for an overweight bag.

 

[aubriee]

26" is a standard luggage size. It doesn't make sense that luggage companies would make luggage in a size that would be too big to take on most airlines. You can buy a luggage scale to make sure your luggage isn't too heavy.

Of course they do. I posted a funny story on a luggage thread here on the DIS several years ago, when someone was asking about oversized luggage. I had found what I thought was the perfect bag, (at Burlington Coat Factory of all places). It was way up on the very top shelf and I had to get a salesperson to use the ladder to get it down. She asked if I was sure that was the bag I wanted. I should have realized something was wrong with it, by her tone and the fact that this perfect bag was marked way down. But, nope I thought I had found the perfect bag and was thrilled with it. I got home and decided I had better measure it. Oops, that's when I found out why it had been marked down so much, it was quite a bit over the size limit. What is funny is what happened when I took the bag back. The lady at customer service gave me a ticket and started to put the bag behind the desk. I told her that since I was going back there anyway, I could just take the bag back for them. When I got to the back where the luggage is, I started to explain to the salesperson back there why I was bringing it back. She stopped me, told me she understood, then called out to the other salesperson that was putting bags up on the shelf, that "Homer is back! He's still not found a home". She then told me they had sold that bag multiple times, but the person always brought him back saying he was too big. I thought it was hilarious that the sales people back there had actually named a suitcase and felt sorry for him because he was too big to find a permanent home.

 

[seashoreCM]

Some airlines limit the individual dimensions such as length, too.

For example United sets limits of 22 x 14 x 9 inches or 45 inches combined.

(If you look closely you will notice in this example that "or 45 inches combined" is useless verbiage.)

 

[pooch]

to worrying again!!!

I just laid the bag on the floor and measured again. I come up with 29 x 20 x 12 which equals 61" and I was generous with my measures so I do think its ok as long as I don't stuff it!!

Thank you all for your input.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Some airlines limit the individual dimensions such as length, too.

For example United sets limits of 22 x 14 x 9 inches or 45 inches combined.

(If you look closely you will notice in this example that "or 45 inches combined" is useless verbiage.)

This thread is about bags that can be checked. Those are not United's limits for checked bags.

For checked bags for most passengers, United allows 62 linear inches combined. (For active U.S. military personnel on orders, and military personnel/dependents on orders for relocation, it's 115 inches.)

The typical weight limit for non-elite passengers in economy class is 50 pounds. But it's good to check the airline's website. On Spirit Airlines, it's just 40 pounds. Going over the weight limit is easy to do with the largest allowable bags, and that can be costly.

 

[DebbieB]

The bag I usually use is 28". I always look at the weight when I put it on the scale at the airport, it's typically 40 to 45 pounds. The only time I've been close to 50 is when I packed training manuals for work on a business trip.

 

[siskaren]

Of course they do.

Well, let me put it this way, then. I seriously doubt that a 26" suitcase would ever be too large to be checked.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Well, let me put it this way, then. I seriously doubt that a 26" suitcase would ever be too large to be checked.

Who said it would? You can check all sorts of items, as long as you're willing to pay the oversize/overweight fee.

 

[siskaren]

Who said it would? You can check all sorts of items, as long as you're willing to pay the oversize/overweight fee.

I guess I needed to be more specific. I meant that I doubted that a 26" suitcase would be too big to be charged an oversize fee, which is what I assume the OP is worried about.