What size luggage do you fly with?

[luvmylittleboy2003]

I'm looking at buying new luggage from ebags (caribbean joe). Looking at the 28" for regular and 24" for carry on. Regular is the hard style, carry on is the soft style.

 

[Lewisc]

Check with your airline. 24" is probably too big for carryon, most airlines. 28" is OK. Do you tend to "pack full". Take as much as fits? Then get the next smaller size. A 28" bag can be overweight if you pack it full.

Actually don't check with your airline, unless you only plan on using the bag for one trip. Good chance 24" will be too big for your next trip. 21" or 22" is the limit for most airlines.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Check with your airline. 24" is probably too big for carryon, most airlines. 28" is OK. Do you tend to "pack full". Take as much as fits? Then get the next smaller size. A 28" bag can be overweight if you pack it full.

Actually don't check with your airline, unless you only plan on using the bag for one trip. Good chance 24" will be too big for your next trip. 21" or 22" is the limit for most airlines.

Ok...great! Thanks a bunch We are flying Frontier so I will go look. I was also thinking of picking up a hand held luggage scale just to make sure we don't go over.

Edited to add: Just went and looked (thought I would post as FYI for anyone else who flies Frontier). Off their website:
our carry-on bag's dimensions can't exceed a total of 49 linear inches (not to exceed 24" length + 15.5" width + 9.5" depth) and the bag can't weigh more than 35 pounds.

Also just found out...with Frontier Classic I guess each person can check 2 free bags - which will be nice!

 

[Brian Noble]

Even if it isn't too big for Frontier, presumably you might fly someone else someday, and almost every other domestic airline uses 45 linear inches, with 22" max in the longest dimension for carryons. 21" is even better, because some overhead bins are smaller than others.

For checked bags, 28" is pretty darn big---I have one, and I almost never use it. We have some 25" bags that are a nice size. We do tend to pack light, but still.

 

[Lewisc]

A 24" bag will only fit in (all/almost all) bins lengthwise. That's the reason why most carriers limit length to 22" or 21"

A 28" bag will probably meet size limits but a 26" bag is probably a better choice.

 

[Missytara]

I agree that the 26" is a much better choice.

I had a choice between a 26" and a 30" the year I purchased. I am barely 5'-0" tall and when I extended the handle for the rolling capability, my arm was up around my head.

I stuck with the 26" - I can partially fill it going down and at 39.5 pounds, it is still pretty heavy. I fill it coming back and it gets around 45 pounds, which is still tough to pull out of the car trunk.

My stepmother, who lives life to the fullest, got the 30" and my poor dad has to drag it onto the back seat and then drag it out again when they get it to the airport - neither of them can even get it up out of the trunk.

 

[ccgirl]

Keep in mind they will include the wheels and handle (not extended) in the measurements as well. We flew AirTran and our large bag just made the requirement. Plus, if you stuff the bag that can exceed the total dimensions as well. I would not go with the biggest size.

 

[backyardponder]

As you are looking around check on the weight of bags you plan to check. You are limited to 50 pounds per bag checked.

I just replaced an 11 pound bag with a light rolling duffel from REI.

 

[Lewisc]

Spirit is going to start charging for bags that weigh over 40 lbs.