The traditional luggage set that we so commonly see has been in many cases replaced by the simple carryon.  Traveling today is more stressful than it has been ever been before. We have to contend to with cancellations, long line-ups at check in and excruciating delays at airport security only to finally arrive at our destination to find that our beautiful pink luggage set has decided to vacation in another country. Sure we took all the right steps, filled in all our information, put on big hot pink luggage tags and for what? Sure the airline says not to worry they have found it and we will get back… 1 day before our vacation ends.

Carry on luggage has become the gold standard when traveling for two main reasons, your bag and more importantly your belongings won’t get lost and you don’t have to spend two hours at the luggage carousel waiting for your luggage, if it ever comes. Carryon luggage has only one main drawback, and that of course is its limited size which restricts how much you can actually pack to bring with you. That being said the benefits of security and speed far outweigh the fact that you can’t pack everything and the kitchen sink.

The accepted standard size of a carry on is 24” x 14” x 9” or 45” total. If you are in the market for let’s say  a new pink luggage carry on  keep in mind that many stores will promote the fact that a particular piece falls within 45” total inch size, but what they don’t disclose fully is that is not a standard size. For example a 29” x 8” x 8” bag is still technically within the 45” guideline but most airlines may refuse to accept it because it will not fit into the standard metal luggage template at the gate.

The best rule to follow in all cases is to call your specific airline beforehand and get the figures for the actual maximum size allowed.  Airline rules can change at any time and you don’t want to end up having to check your brand new hot pink luggage and risk having it lost.

No related posts.