4sharie

What's the general consensus here on whether to just do carry-on bags or to check some? We have always just done carry-on (even before airlines started charging) to speed things up getting out of the airport and so we wouldn't have any lost bags.

For our upcoming trip we're considering checking a bag or two but we're completely torn. It's a 17 day trip and it would be sooo nice to have an extra bag with a few comforts of home... favorite coffee, Hot Shot machine (instant hot water for tea, oatmeal, etc) enough clothes/boots to keep me warm, umbrella, and we could go ahead and pre-purchase a lot of the things we would have to buy there (toiletries, picnic stuff, etc) .

It's $50 to check one bag round trip, so we're considering upgrading our American Express card to the next level for $40 so all 4 of us would actually be able to check a bag for "free" (plus we'd get 10,000 bonus FF miles).

Our big concern is LOST baggage. We would still carry-on the valuables and things we couldn't do without. Our other concerns are lugging around the extra luggage and having to wait for it rather than a quick airport exit.

Checking bags also has advantages beyond being able to take extra things. For once it would be so nice for us not to have 8 bags that the 4 of us need to go through security with and then on the plane quickly stow and get out of the way.

Just looking for a push one way or the other!

november_moon

I do both - depending on the circumstances. Fingers crossed, but I haven't had a bag delayed in quite awhile - terrorism concerns have the airlines keeping MUCH better track of our luggage than before.

One of the main considerations for me is how much will I have to deal with my luggage during the trip? If we are taking trains, buses, shuttles, walking a few blocks through town, etc. then I pack light. I am not going to lug around more than I have to - too much hassle. OTOH, if we are getting a car for the whole trip or staying in one place, then it doesn't matter so much - I might bring more stuff.

Quick airport exit is another consideration - do I have any tight connection once I arrive? Am I taking several flights and would have to wait for the luggage several times?

HappyTrvlr

Are you taking a non-stop or direct flight to your destination or do you have to change planes?
We have had trouble with connecting flights so we carry on.

LindainOhio

My Continental and American credit cards allow one free bag. Sometimes we check, sometimes we carry on. Sometimes we just use it for golf clubs. I would upgrade your card--sounds like checking yoru bags this trip would make travelling easier.

I hate to pay to check bags so we only fly SW, CO or American.

tekwriter

In the last few years, we have been taking longer vacations (2-3 weeks), so I need more stuff. I usually check my bag which allows me to carry as much liquid and sharp objects as I want. That to me is the biggest deal breaker about carry-ons. Plus I love not having to lug a suitcase, plus purse or computer bag, through security. (Knock on wood), I have never had a delayed or lost bag in the last 30 years. I do factor in the cost of checking luggage into the cost of the ticket, which often makes Southwest a better deal, but not always. I think you have to decide which way will give you more piece of mind: freedom to carry what you want, or less worry about whether your bag will arrive when you do.

4sharie

"More stuff equals deal breaker"... yes, I would be so much more comfortable knowing I had those extra things with me. If they show up! haha

It is a non-stop flight (free with our Delta SkyMiles!) and then we're renting a mini-van from the airport, so no extra transportation to lug bags around to. We're also going to do small overnight bags in each hotel stop, so won't be lugging all bags in each stop either.

nytraveler

I do carry-on for trips of one to three nights. If longer than that I almost always check luggage - since it's either 1) an extended business trip and I need to take my computer and a lot of materials for meetings and can't carry buiness clothes - or it's a trip of 2 weeks or more - when I want to have fresch clothes without paying a fortune to the hotel, Hotels typically charge more to wash a pair of panties than they cost to begin with - and the idea of wearing hand-washed undies is positively ick!

So, I've traveled with checked luggage well more than 200 times - and have never had anything lost or significantly delayed. (At CDG once it took almost 2 hours for our bags to get to the carousel - but it was the whole plane - I think a pop-up labor slowdown.)

There are several tricks:

1) Make sure the tag they put on the bag is for the correct airport

2) Don;t check in late - which makes it more likely the bag won't make the plane or will be otherwise misplaced

3) Make sure the bag is clearly marked so you can easily pick it off the carousel (put pink ribbons on the handle or similar) and not be picked up by another traveler

And finally, just in case, make sure you have one change of clothes in your carry-on - along with all of your valuables

HappyTrvlr

Less risk with a direct floght of misplaced or delayed luggage. All of our problems related to luggage not making a connection.

4sharie

Ok, so I saw on Delta's site you can check your luggage online within 24 hrs of the flight and then drop it off curbside. HOW does it get tagged? Do I print something out and wrap around it??

suze

I always check a bag. I keep valuables and irreplaceable items in my carry-on, but I hate going carry-on ONLY. It's just not quite enough stuff for me. I pack light but check thru my 24" roller or duffle. I hate having to drag everything around airports with me, for one thing. And I really like being able to bring a tiny bit more toiletries and cosmetics than fit the 3-1-1 rule plus a couple pair of shoes.

suze

Oh and I do definitely agree with the first post about what you are going to do when you arrive. My post above is when I am going to one place, staying in one hotel the duration of a trip (usually beach vacations).

If I'm going to multiple cities in Europe and moving around a lot on the train, then I stick to a 21-22" roller only.

sassy_cat

Trip to a city in winter for more than one week usually means checking a bag for me. I like to take boots and shoes plus layers so need extra luggage space.

For trips up to 2 weeks OR if I'm staying in an apartment with a washing machine then I prefer to take carry on only.

I haven't been on a trip longer than 2 weeks for years!

I have recently made a concerted effort to check in early for flights. 2 hours prior for domestic and 3-4 hours early for international. I don't mind hanging out at the airport and I've found this has paid off if I've checked luggage as my case has come through very quickly.
First bag off the carousel last week!

RoamsAround

Our motto is "if it doesn't fit in one standard size roll-aboard and one personal size item (usually a small tote) per person WE DON'T NEED IT". Been that way for every trip we've taken in the past 20 years except three - once when we were traveling to the northeast in the sea of winter and we had to bring extra winter clothes and twice when we went on extended 6 week trips. In those two cases we actually over packed and didn't wear half the clothes we took. We learned our lesson years ago.

Pack light, no need to bring along the kitchen sink!

Carry-on means never waiting for luggage - saves us a bunch of time. Most recent trip involved an international flight, we were one of the first people off the plane, took only two minutes to clear immigration and another one minute to clear customs. My time is valuable to me - you can't pay me enough to check luggage.

Gardyloo

With your itinerary it sounds like checking bags is going to make for a more comfortable trip overall. Since you're flying on a nonstop and will have a vehicle, the chances of your bags getting lost are low, and hassles at the destination minimal.

SAnParis2

I have never/will never check a bag....

obxgirl

2-4 day trip = carry on. Too much hassle for a short trip if luggage is delayed.

5-10 or more day trip = check. It's worth $25 not to jockey with the bin hogs for overhead space.

I don't check anything I'm not willing to lose. Had luggage delayed a few times but never completely lost. I use the same 22" bag regardless of check/no check. Domestic or international.

I'm not going to kill myself or anyone else to be the first person off the plane and out of the airport.

Horses for courses.

sf7307

Ditto what RoamsAround said. Our last long trip (three weeks in SE Asia, we took one 20" widebody each, and had our laundry done). We learned our lesson when we took the kids to Europe for a month and each packed a gigantic suitcase. First 6 days, we were in an apartment in London. Found out they would do our laundry for us in the office (for a fee), and realized immediately we should have brought 1/3 of what we brought. Did laundry two more times on that trip - once I did it myself in a laundromat in Paris (that's another story, and a funny one....) and took it to a wash-dry-fold place in Rome (by taxi). That was it - carryon for us. We only violated our policy recently when we went back East for a graduation and wedding and needed lots of different clothes for different events.

Ackislander

My experience is the same as nytravelers. Knock wood, no luggage lost or delayed since 1970, though Air Canada managed to destroy an expensive suitcase, albeit delivering it on time.

I do have things that will not fit in carryons for more than an overnight, but I also appreciate the comforts and amenities. A nice compromise would be to send all those things ahead by UPS or Fedex to your first hotel.

4sharie, the only thing I do not like about your current plan is leaving luggage in the car overnight. We do it in relatively rural areas, but I would never do it in a city.

tenthumbs

I will gladly pay extra to check my bag. I HATE schelpping the thing through security and wrestling it into the over head bin. It usually doesn't take more than 10-15 minutes to retrieve it from baggage claim, and I've only had a delayed suitcase ONE time.

suze

I've only had delayed luggage one time, and that was on the way home. It was delivered to my home my taxi the next morning. I was trying to figure out how to make that happen every trip!