Need tips for packing under airline limit (50lb per pag) for family of 4.

[Spoisal]

airtran airways allows 1 checked bag per person - 50 pound max - for free. Any tips on how to accomplish this for a famly of 4 going on a 10 day trip? Am I getting worried over nothing or is the 50 pond limit easy to abide by?

 

[bavaria]

I can routinely pack for 3 week work/pleasure trips and meet the 20kg (44lb) limit including work materials, so there should be no issue for what you are looking for.

Empty suitcases should not weigh more than 12lb; if so they should be replaced with newer models.

Pack one pair of shoes and wear the heavier pair. Avoid heavy jeans and sweatshirts. Wear clothes more than once. Don't take full size toiletries for such a short trip.

 

[Stephaniecmc]

Just an FYI if you booked before April 22, you can 2 bags FREE! I just called today to confirm, we booked on April 16 and we'll be checking in 2 bags each! Have a great trip!

 

[mygyky]

Go easy on the shoes and bulky sweater/sweatshirts and you should be fine.

 

[Lewisc]

A couple of posters noted AirTran is now measuring the bags. Airtran allows a maximum of 61", other airlines are 62". Airtran appears to be including the wheels, handles and any protrusions from stuffing the pockets.

Check the size and the weight.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

If you cannot pack 4 people's clothes into 4 suitcases (1 for each person) and be less than 50 lbs each, there are problems with your packing technique and you need to not bring everything but the kitchen sink with you.

 

[rwdavis2]

Including carry-ons that's 2 bags per person. As long as you take things you really don't need I would think that would be enough. If you're staying on site I believe all the hotels have laundries. The last time we went for 5 nights we just did a couple loads of laundry one evening and that we enough.
Bob

 

[disneyag]

Here's a great website to check out www.onebag.com. Really helpful packing tips.

 

[Colinsmom]

Avoid the really huge bags, the ones that just meet the max dimensions for non-oversized luggage. We went to Marshall's and bought 4 suitcases in the next smaller size for a reasonable price (less than most airlines' oversized baggage charge). It is much easier to pack the smaller suitcases and not hit the 50lb max!

 

[disndatworld]

airtran airways allows 1 checked bag per person - 50 pound max - for free. Any tips on how to accomplish this for a famly of 4 going on a 10 day trip? Am I getting worried over nothing or is the 50 pond limit easy to abide by?

50 lbs is easy to hit. Make sure to weigh everything at home before you get to the airline. We travel a dozen or so times during the year, and DW always has to re-arrange a few things. Drives me nuts because she won't put everything in the suitcase until 10 minutes before we leave... then I have to re-arrange and get all hot and sweaty putting everything in the car just as we're leaving.

Still love her though

 

[RustManFan]

My adult DD, SIL and DS and I flew to Edinburgh for 10 days in Scotland and we were easily able to keep bags between 35 and 40 pounds each. Plenty of room for bringing more home. Never did any laundry while we were away either. And we were bringing full length pants and some long sleeve shirts and stuff.....not packing the lighter clothes needed in Florida.

Just limit the number of pairs of shoes (weight can add up easily with these) and people can share many of the toiletries I would think.

 

[pooh2001]

What we do - we fly March/April from NY.

Wear our jeans to WDW (pack shorts in our carry ons).

Wear one pair of sneakers, pack one extra pair of sneakers per person in the suitcases.

Wear our sweat shirt /light jacket to WDW (planes can get chilly).

Pack 7 sets of shorts/t-shirts/undies/socks

Pack 2 bathing suits per person

DW & DD pack Crocs. DH & DS wear their sneakers to the pool (it's a guy thing. I guess)

We pack an old set of sheets to use with the areo bed below.

We pack extra zip-locks & labels for the suitcases trip home. Plus we have our intinerary printed on paper which is placed in all our suitcases.

Pack some toiletries in plastic bags in the suitcase. We carry-on the plane hairbrushes, tooth brushes, glasses & sun glasses & contact lenses.

We also carry-on our camera's, iPods and thinkpad.

We take and areo bed (cheap one $17 from Walmart) also as a carry-on.

Each person has one carry -on plus a 'purse'.
So DH has a very small bag (he get the hairbrushes & tooth brushes) and his thinkpad.
DW (me) gets her purse (money, tickets, ADR's, receipts, & all eyeglass wear)
and the areo-bed.
DS & DD get a small nylon back pack - Nike brand - found in shoe stores and sporting good shops. They are very light to carry around. They pack their own sunglasses, split up our shorts between them, camera's & iPods.

I also pack another Nike brand bag with the aero bed case (not large - will fit under the plane seat) to place our jeans if we change at WDW. Plus I pack a large plastic bag to store our jackets /sweat shirts.

We fly JetBlue and they have TV's at each seat to occupy us if we are not napping.


We mail down (UPS) in a box: disposable plates, cups, bowls, utensils, zip lock bags, dry snacks, gum (not sold in WDW), boxes of cereal, garbage bags, and what ever else we want to snack on in the room.

We order from the Disney Florist the fruit basket to have fruit in the room.


Sorry if I rambled. I hope the above was not to redundant and maybe was helpful.

 

[andymattmom]

Airtran does measure! In Indy on the 20th they had the tape measure out and that does include the "extended" pocket part of the bag. People in line were having to repack and some were charged. Remember you do get carry on bags...one per person. Going we had 4 cases and 2 carry ons. Coming back we added another carry on.

 

[Spoisal]

Still love her though

awwww

 

[disdanny]

Soapbox alert:

Although I'm sure it falls under the category of unintentional consequences, the 50 pound weight limit for luggage creates another subtle means of accepted discrimination against those of us who are, in DIS terminology, "Pooh-sized" (although in actuality, I left "Pooh-sized" in the dust and continued on to "Hundred Acre Wood-sized"). Whereas those of an average build may find it easy to pack for extended stays and remain within the luggage weight limits, I find that my extra-sized clothing weighs considerably more. There is also a corresponding increase in the space they consume, but it seems that I run up against the weight limit sooner than the volume limit.

I accept full responsibility for my situation, and I am certainly not advocating special exceptions for those of us so affected, but it does get frustrating at times.

 

[Sandi]

I have my DD13 pack what she thinks she wants to take a couple of weeks prior to our trip and then we weigh her bag. She has never gotten that close to 50 pounds, but she has been persuaded to take out some of the 10 pairs of flip flops that really don't need to come with her.

I suggest you do a trial run to see what you're really working with. If you need lighter luggage, now is a good time to find out so you can get new bags.

I'd also plan to do laundry once while your on vacation.

 

[monkey68]

I went to France for 2 months, and checked one bag under the 20 kg weight limit. It's very possible, if you're going for 10 days, and can take one bag/person, I honestly don't think you would have any problems if you each take one.

 

[NotUrsula]

I routinely do come in just under the #50lb mark for the 4 of us, but that is on our ONE checked bag. (Sometimes in winter I end up a bit over and pull out my emergency duffel for a few items, but that doesn't happen often.) We pack for 5 days and do laundry halfway through.

Here's rule #1: ABSOLUTELY NO JEANS!!!! No thick/heavy fabrics of any kind, except fleece that has been squished in a space bag. For warmth, pack an ultralight pair of long undies. (We use silk -- kids, too.) Rule #2 is you get to pack one pr. of shoes and wear the other; limit 2 pr. per person.

 

[Candy Apple]

delete

 

[Candy Apple]

Airtran does measure! In Indy on the 20th they had the tape measure out and that does include the "extended" pocket part of the bag.

How do they measure the bag? I need to check our bags before we leave. I've never had anyone take a tape measure to them before.